(Reuters) – Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has played down the prospect of in-form striker Callum Wilson leaving the club during the January transfer window, amid reported interest from several Premier League sides, including Chelsea.
The 26-year-old, who has scored eight goals in 16 league appearances this season and made his England debut last month, played in Bournemouth’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.
On the eve of the Stamford Bridge tie, Chelsea assistant coach Gianfranco Zola hinted that Wilson was of “interest” to the London club, admitting he had all the attributes “to go a long way”.
“Callum’s our player and very, very focused on us. I think you could see that with his performance,” Howe told reporters on Wednesday.
When asked whether there was any scenario in which Wilson could be sold in January, Howe replied: “Not from my perspective, no.”
Bournemouth host Brighton and Hove Albion in a Premier League encounter on Saturday, hoping for a positive result after six defeats in seven matches has seen them slip to 11th place.
(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by John O’Brien)