“This is too soon” – AFC Bournemouth weigh up move for Blackpool 23-year-old: The verdict

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Bournemouth are hoping to sign Josh Bowler from Blackpool in bolstering their Premier League survival bid according to The Sun.

It has not been an ideal summer so far for the Tangerines, losing Neil Critchley to Aston Villa and then potentially one of their best players to the top-flight would call for supporters to decrease their expectations of the upcoming campaign.

That said, Michael Appleton has certainly looked like someone capable of managing in the Championship in the past and recruitment has been nothing short of superb over the last few years.

We gathered the thoughts of a selection of FLW writers to see if they believe that Bowler would be a smart addition for the Cherries and whether he is ready for the step up a division…

Justin Peach

This move would be a surprise not only because Josh Bowler is still relatively untried at Championship level.

One consistent season should not be the catalyst for a Premier League move as there is a fair argument that Bowler perhaps needs more time to become a more rounded wide player.

Not only that, the Bournemouth side is looking short of top-flight quality and experience which could be their undoing throughout the season.

However, Bowler has an incredible ability to beat his opponent in one-on-one situations, something that could be the difference in a side needing to create chances.

The rumoured fee of £1 million is a low risk option as well, ensuring that Bournemouth have the potential to make a profit however successful Bowler is there.

For me though, I believe