AFC Bournemouth are embarking on their second season in the Premier League after comfortably avoiding the drop last time out.
The Cherries won promotion to the top flight for the first time in the club’s 126-year history in 2015, and Eddie Howe guided the team to a 16th place finish last season to preserve their Premier League status.
Howe’s side have also made a solid start to this campaign, picking up eight points from their opening seven matches, including narrow victories over West Bromwich Albion and Everton.
They find themselves 13th in the division, which is three places below Claude Puel’s Southampton, who have drawn that one extra game than the Cherries.
However, there are a few Bournemouth players that would get into Puel’s side to help them consolidate a top-half finish. Here are THREE that would get into the Saints team…
Adam Smith
Photo: Mark Leech
Defensively, Southampton are one of the strongest sides in the Premier League, but I believe that Bournemouth’s Adam Smith has done enough in his spell in the top-flight to suggest he’s a more than capable right-back at this level.
The 25-year-old signed a new long-term deal at the Vitality Stadium this summer to fend off any potential Premier League interest, such has his form been for Bournemouth since their promotion in 2015.
He’d definitely do a job for the Saints at right-back and, with the amount of games Puel’s side are playing this year, he’d get a decent run in the team.
Jack Wilshere
Photo: Kieran Clarke / Offside
Howe did brilliantly to get England international Jack Wilshere through the door at the end of the summer transfer window.
Yes, he has had injury problems and needs to get back to full fitness, but there’s no doubting the quality the 24-year-old possesses, and I believe that, in a Southampton team that likes to dominate possession in the opposition half through intricate movement and passing, Wilshere would feel right at home.
When he’s fully fit, he could really flourish in this Southampton team and help pull the strings in the middle of the park.
Jordon Ibe
Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.
A long-shot may be, but Bournemouth’s Jordon Ibe brings pace and energy to the Cherries team, much in the same way Nathan Redmond does for Southampton, and having them both in the same team could cause nightmares for defenders.
His versatility is likely to appeal to Southampton, as he can play down either side, or even in the number 10 role or as a striker, giving them plenty of options in attacking areas.
Both Ibe and Redmond have been playing alongside one another for the England Under-21’s in recent seasons, so clearly know each other’s games and abilities – this could benefit a Southampton team that have always been willing to give the younger players a chance to shine.