SEAN O'Driscoll admits he may have to bide his time in his search for a striker.

The Cherries boss, who welcomed his squad back to Canford School for the first day of pre-season on Monday, has earmarked a forward to add to the four new signings he has already made ahead of the 2006-07 campaign.

With the club's playing budget stretched to the limit, O'Driscoll is targeting a loan signing to supplement the squad, but he is prepared to wait to make sure he brings in the right man.

O'Driscoll told the Daily Echo: "I've said before that I'd like to bring in a striker and that is still the case. I'd imagine Playershare will play a big part in that again if they can help.

"It looks more likely that it will be a loan of some description probably a half-season or season-long deal. That would be the plan.

"But as pre-season progresses, squads start to take shape and players start looking to see if they are part of the first-team plans."

With many of the Premiership's players either still involved or only having just returned from the World Cup, if O'Driscoll is after another promising youngster from a top club, he knows he may need to be patient.

He said: "Everybody is only just coming back for pre-season and the Premiership clubs won't be back for a while yet.

"I'm sure they will all see how their squads lie over the first couple of weeks. This is just the start it all evolves from here and we will see what happens and who is available."

Meanwhile, O'Driscoll and assistant boss Rich-ard O'Kelly put the squad through their paces on Monday, but toned down the traditional lung-busting runs as temperatures soared.

O'Driscoll said: "The ground is still pretty hard so we have to be mindful of sore calves and Achilles tendons and things.

"But we'll get the balls out as we normally do and get all of the summer holiday stories out of the way as well! Then we can get the minds focused on getting back to work."