Adam Smith lauded as full-back pens new Bournemouth deal

Adam Smith: Signs new Cherries deal

Adam Smith: Signs new Cherries deal

Adam Smith has signed a new four-year contract at Bournemouth.

Boss Eddie Howe will hope the 25-year-old full-back’s new long-term deal sends another message to Premier League rivals on the challenge to prise his top talents away from Dean Court.

Howe revealed Bournemouth had rejected a big-money offer from West Ham for Callum Wilson and Matt Ritchie, a joint bid that was tabled ahead of the south coast club’s 3-1 defeat at Manchester United on Tuesday.

“It’s great to be able to reward Adam with this new deal,” said Bournemouth chief executive Neill Blake.

“He has shown this year just how important he can be for us, and we believe there is still plenty more to come from him.

“I am sure he will continue to be a crucial part of our side as we begin to prepare for our second season in the Premier League.”

Bournemouth boss Howe, whose side finished 16th in their maiden season in the top flight, revealed his frustration to receive bids for two of his top talents even before their league campaign had come to a close.

West Ham tabled offers for Wilson and Ritchie ahead of Bournemouth’s rearranged final Premier League clash at Old Trafford, abandoned on Sunday due to a bomb scare.

“The disappointing thing from my perspective is why the bid has come in a day before a game, our last game of the season?” said Howe after Tuesday’s loss.

“You’ve got the whole summer to bid for players. I don’t understand that.

“I’ve got then two players in the squad who were due to play and a lot of speculation around their futures, so I think that was bizarre from this club’s perspective.

“But the bid was rejected and we have no intention to sell. We don’t need to sell, we have a really ambitious owner.

“We want to try and improve our squad, not weaken it.”