STEVE Cook hailed Cherries' "hugely exciting" capture of Jermain Defoe and backed the striker to be a "brilliant role model" for his new team-mates.

The three-year deal Defoe last week penned with the club will take him into his 38th year, but Cook has no fears about the former Tottenham player's ability to thrive at the top level for a long time to come.

Defoe scored 15 goals for relegated Sunderland last term, including the decisive strike in the Black Cats' victory at Vitality Stadium in November.

And although he did not get on the scoresheet when the teams met in the north east in April, the 34-year-old's nimble, intelligent movement caused Cherries' rearguard a host of problems.

Defoe scored 37 goals in 93 appearances during two-and-a-half seasons with Sunderland, following a January 2015 move from Major League Soccer team Toronto.

The England international's career was ignited by a loan spell with Cherries in the 2000-01 campaign when his 18 league goals spearheaded the team's rousing, but ultimately futile, pursuit of a Division Two play-off spot.

He subsequently plundered 145 goals across two spells and 364 games for Tottenham and his 12-month stay with Portsmouth from January 2008 yielded 17 goals in 36 matches.

Cook told the Daily Echo: "It is a hugely exciting signing for us. Every time we have come up against Jermain, he has been so sharp.

"The number of goals he has scored over his career has been incredible, he is an outstanding striker.

"He will add to a very strong group of attacking players we already have.

"Last time he was here he was setting records and, hopefully, he can do that for us again. He will give us another fantastic option.

"He is one of the toughest strikers I have played against. I said to him after the last game that I was glad I did not have to play against him when he was 23 or 24. He is still that good.

"It shows how far the club has come that we can attract players of his calibre."

Cook was crowned Daily Echo-Micky Cave supporters' player of the year last term and attributed his fine form to a rigorous pre-season 12 months ago when he took a fitness coach with him on holiday to Portugal.

And the defender, who this summer put his name to a new contract to keep him with Cherries until at least summer 2021, expects Defoe's similarly diligent approach to his profession to rub off on his new team-mates.

"It is a credit to him that he is still playing at the highest level," said Cook.

"He is fantastic and I think he still has a lot more to give. When you have that sort of player, with the career he has had, still looking after himself so well, it tells you a lot about him.

"He will be a brilliant role model for the young players in the side – and the older ones as well."