STAR striker Callum Wilson revealed he had intentionally blanked out the raft of summer speculation over his future after signing a new four-year deal with Cherries.

The 23-year-old’s free-scoring exploits in the Championship last season had the rumour mill working overtime but the ex-Coventry hitman was always quick to reiterate his happiness with life at Vitality Stadium.

And having secured his long-term future, Wilson was adamant the hive of transfer talk had sailed over his head while he spent valuable time with loved ones during the closed season.

Wilson said: “Over the off season it’s about spending time with your family and I don’t really listen to stuff like that.

“I had friends and family asking me questions but they were asking me about things I had never heard before. You just ignore it and when I’m away from football, I shut off from it and concentrate on my family.

“Playing in the Premier League is all I have ever dreamed of. You want to be on Match of the Day and play against the players you idolise. I’m more than happy here.”

Wilson, drafted in following the departure of Lewis Grabban to Norwich City last summer, took the second flight by storm in his maiden Cherries campaign with 23 goals in all competitions, a telling contribution to the club’s title triumph.

He continued: “I signed thinking we would get to the Premier League in the next few years and we did it in the first season.

“There’s no reason at this moment in time why anyone would want to leave because we have a great manager who is young and wants to be successful.

“We have a great squad here, so we have all the key components to be successful in the Premier League. Hopefully, we can achieve that.”

Christian Atsu should recover from a back complaint in time to feature against Cardiff City tomorrow (7.45pm) with manager Eddie Howe set to split his squad for the fixture and Saturday's trip to Hoffenheim (3pm).

Howe told the Daily Echo: “It will be a really tough weekend. Hoffenheim are a really top side and Cardiff will be one of the favourites to go up from the Championship. It will be a good test for two XIs.

“To get good quality opposition we had to travel. German sides by nature are very competitive so it will be a good test.

“We have to realise we are going into an incredibly difficult league and need to prepare the players for that.

“Nantes did that job in the sense that it was a really tough challenge for us to come out with a positive result and Hoffenheim will be no different.”

Wilson was talking to the club website.