Scott Parker discusses the future of Bournemouth defender

Scott Parker has revealed that he may have to discuss Chris Mepham’s long-term future at Bournemouth soon, in conversation with the Bournemouth Echo. 

Mepham, who has been confined to just 129 minutes of Championship football since the turn of the year, has seen himself drop down the pecking order as a result of the addition of Nat Phillips in January.

Parker believes that now is not the right time to discuss the future of the Bournemouth defender but is a talk that will need to take place.

Speaking to the Bournemouth Echo about whether discussions will take place with Mepham regarding his future, Parker said: “Yeah, maybe.

“Definitely now is not that conversation or the time.

“But certainly I’m sure there will be a right time and a right place to have that conversation with him.

“We’ll have that in due course and both sit down and see how we both see and feel it really.”

The verdict 

Bournemouth have excellent completion levels at centre-back as things stand, with Mepham’s seeming position as fourth-choice central defender speaks volumes about the calibre of options that Parker has at his disposal. 

Whilst competition like this can often be described as a manager’s dream, it means that two of his defenders can be left unhappy. 

Mepham is someone who could quite easily be operating at the top end of the Championship on a regular basis, meaning that a summer move could be in his best interests. 

With a year left on his current deal, it remains to be seen if a summer move comes to fruition, or if he will be pushing for regular inclusion at Bournemouth once again, with the Premier League in sight. 

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