EDDIE Howe insisted Callum Wilson would not be rushed into making a Premier League return but was “excited” by the frontman’s impending comeback.

The 25-year-old this week continued to gain match sharpness following his recovery from a serious knee injury.

Wilson, who, according to Howe, is unlikely to feature at Stoke tomorrow, netted a 32-minute hat-trick in Cherries' 4-2 Central League win at Southend United on Tuesday.

Giving an update on the striker’s condition, Howe said: “You could say he is fit, of course, he is running around a football pitch and scoring goals.

“But there is a difference between being fit and being ready to play in the Premier League.

“We can’t afford to allow a player to get fit or get their sharpness back in games.

“That has to come from training or matches away from the first team.

“That is what we are in the process of doing with Callum, in getting all his sharpness back and getting rid of any rustiness, which there will be in his game because of the length of time he has been away.”

He added: “Callum is a real energiser, so to get him back around the group would be really important for us.

“We are excited to have him back.”