Benik Afobe will be a hit at Bournemouth, says Stuart Pearce
Sunday 10 January 2016 21:55, UK
Stuart Pearce believes new Bournemouth signing Benik Afobe will be a success in the Premier League under manager Eddie Howe.
Only Tottenham's Harry Kane and Manchester City's Sergio Aguero have scored more than Afobe's 42 goals in English football since August 2014, and the Cherries are believed to have paid a club-record fee of more than £8m to sign him from Wolves.
Speaking on the Sky Sports News HQ Transfer Centre, former England U21 manager Pearce said he thinks the striker has all the attributes to thrive at the top level despite failing to make the grade at Arsenal.
"I think he'll be a hit because he's going to a club where he will be a big fish as their record signing, and that will give him a lot of confidence," Pearce said. "I think that can only be a good thing for him.
"His acceleration, and if he uses it in the right manner, going in-behind defences, is going to be an asset. The further you go up the food chain in football, the quicker and more physical you are the better.
"But you've got to couple that with mental understanding of where to move within the pitch. Someone like Jamie Vardy is unshakable in his mentality, he's got no respect for players he plays against and I mean that in the best possible way.
"Benik has to get some of that, because he has not made it at Arsenal in the Premier League, he's got to gain some of that arrogance in his play."
Afobe, 22, came through the ranks with the Gunners but failed to make a single league appearance. He spent time on loan with six different clubs, including MK Dons, Millwall and Bolton, before signing permanently for Wolves in January 2015.
He now joins the Cherries on a four-and-a-half-year contract after his record of 22 goals in 46 league appearances for the Championship club caught the eye of Bournemouth, and Pearce doesn't consider the striker a "panic buy".
"He has dropped from Arsenal, a Premier League team, and now he has his self-confidence as a young player, he regained that at MK Dons and Wolves, it's whether he steps into the big time again and is happy in those surroundings," Pearce continued.
"Eddie Howe has a great reputation as a coach, and where Bournemouth in the league at this moment is a fantastic place. They're not in the bottom three, they're in a good place to spend money, it is not a panic buy, and hopefully for them his value will rise."
