BOSS Eddie Howe said he planned to keep the core of his squad British – after giving more minutes to English players in the Premier League last season than any other manager.

Cherries topped the charts with 24,202 minutes, finishing ahead of Everton (20,884) and Burnley (17,715), while Chelsea (2,764) gave the least game-time to English players.

One of Cherries’ biggest plusses last season was the emergence of midfielder Lewis Cook who won his first cap for England and was on stand-by for their World Cup squad.

The York-born 21-year-old, who also helped the Three Lions win the Toulon Tournament in May, featured for 2,239 minutes of Cherries' Premier League campaign.

Howe has this season added to his squad by bringing in young Wales international David Brooks, a £10million signing from Sheffield United.

However, while the Cherries boss admitted he took “great pride” from the statistic, he also said it would not determine his transfer policy and he would still look to recruit from abroad.

Howe, speaking to the Daily Echo from the club’s training camp at La Manga Club in Spain, said: “Our transfer policy has been deliberate and we want to keep the core of the squad British.

“It is easier to recruit players who we can build a really good database of knowledge on so we are not taking too many risks.

“We are playing in an English league and we don’t want to lose that identity.

“There is a pride in that but that is not to say we are not proud of our players who come from different countries around the world.

“I take immense pride when I see players like Nathan Ake and Lys Mousset playing for their respective countries as well.

"We want to see players develop, whether it is Lewis Cook for England or Nathan for Holland and Lys for France."

Howe, capped twice by England under-21s, added: “I think broadening our horizons in terms of our recruitment and maybe looking to be more active in the foreign markets is certainly something we are going to look to do.

“Potentially, players may be cheaper and, with the inflated market in England, it becomes even more difficult to recruit players at good prices with every passing year.”

Cherries goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, a Bosnia-Herzegovina international, was one of 10 players who was ever present in the Premier League last season.

The list included Leicester's Harry Maguire and Everton's Jordan Pickford, both heroes of England's World Cup campaign.

Dutchman Ake (3,353) missed just 67 minutes of Cherries' matches in the top-flight, while Charlie Daniels (3,004) was their most-played English player.

Minutes played by Cherries' English players in the Premier League in 2017-18: Charlie Daniels (3,004), Steve Cook (2,766), Simon Francis (2,707), Lewis Cook (2,239), Adam Smith (2,069), Jordon Ibe (2,000), Callum Wilson (1,987), Dan Gosling (1,943), Andrew Surman (1,852), Junior Stanislas (1,296), Jermain Defoe (1,083), Marc Pugh (982), Tyrone Mings (202), Jack Simpson (72). (Source: Premier League).