Cherries: Pugh puts transfer speculation to one side (From Thisisdorset)

Cherries: Pugh puts transfer speculation to one side

7:00am Monday 6th February 2012 in Sport

COVETED Cherries star Marc Pugh has shrugged off speculation linking him with a transfer – insisting he is in no hurry to leave Seward Stadium.

Boss Lee Bradbury last week revealed a number of rival clubs had been looking at the club’s cultured playmaker.

Signed for £100,000 from Hereford United by previous Cherries manager Eddie Howe, the popular Lancastrian has more than repaid that investment by scoring 23 goals and contributing a further 21 assists during his time on the south coast.

Pugh’s performances have not gone unnoticed – with a string of higher level clubs linked with possible moves.

Former boss Howe, now in charge of Championship outfit Burnley, is a known admirer and he was among the crowd for Cherries’ recent defeat at Chesterfield, while Derby County manager Nigel Clough was also present. Barnsley are believed to be among the other clubs to have Pugh on their radar.

The winger, whose current deal runs until the summer of 2013, has yet to sign a new three-and-a-half year contract offered by Cherries. He last month indicated he would wait until the end of the current campaign before making a decision.

But Pugh insists he is happy to stay with the League One play-off hopefuls.

He told Cherries’ official club website: “There are rumours all year round and I’m sure there will be more in the summer, but you have to put all the speculation to the back of your mind.

“This is a great club, I’m enjoying my time here and long may that continue. The team are playing good football, I’m enjoying my football and I’m not in any rush to move on.”

Discussing the link to his hometown club Burnley, Pugh said: “Eddie loves Bournemouth and he can go to watch a game of football just like anyone else. He is just like any other scout or manager in football – they watch players that can improve their squad.

“He could quite easily have been watching a Chesterfield player. People can put two and two together and think he was there to watch me when it is clearly not the case.

“I haven’t heard anything (about a transfer) and will just concentrate on doing my job on the pitch.”

Cherries manager Bradbury last week reported there had been no formal approaches for Pugh during the January transfer window.

Speaking to local radio, he said: “No one contacted us about Marc Pugh. We didn’t come close to losing him.

“That was a real positive because there are a lot of clubs looking at him.”