MARC Pugh said he did not let the “crazy money” spent in the Premier League affect his focus having reflected on his own miserly £100,000 price tag.

Cherries yesterday shattered their club record transfer fee to land Colombian World Cup star Jefferson Lerma in a £25million deal from La Liga outfit Levante.

His arrival, along with new signings David Brooks and Diego Rico, took to more than £45million the Dorset club’s summer spending.

But former Bury and Kidderminster ace Pugh insisted big-money moves had no influence on the mentality of players once they took to the field.

Asked about transfer fees forked out in the top flight, the 31-year-old told the Daily Echo: “It’s incredible. There are Championship players going to the Premier League for £20m or £30m.

“That sets the tone and, for your average player now, you are looking between £20m and £40m.

“It’s crazy money but clubs earn a lot through the TV rights. It’s getting bigger and teams want to stay in the Premier League because it’s the best place to play football.

“No matter how much someone is worth, if you have a good day and he has a bad one then you can get the better of him.

“If you think ‘oh, look who I am playing against’ then, before you have even kicked a ball, you are mentally beaten.

“When you go out on the field it’s 11 versus 11. We are all in the same ball game and you just have to be mentally strong.”

Pugh’s fee from Hereford in the summer of 2010 went to a tribunal at the Professional Football Compensation Committee in London.

The two clubs failed to negotiate a fee for the then out-of-contract 23-year-old, with the panel ordering Cherries to stump up a six-figure sum.

At the time of the hearing, Jeff Mostyn described as “quite excessive” the valuation of the winger, who has since gone on to score 55 goals in 309 appearances.

Eight years on, Pugh said the pair now laugh about the princely sum.

“He said it was a rip off! Jeff is a good laugh and, since I have been here, he has been amazing to me,” he added.

“I had to sit in the tribunal room. He was having kittens when he found out it was £100,000 because that was a lot of money to the club back then.

“Looking back, I was a bit of a steal! I had just been fortunate enough to sign for Bournemouth.

“It is the best decision of my life and has been an amazing journey – hopefully there is a lot more to come.”

Pugh, who first featured for the club in League One, has played 67 times during Cherries’ three-season top-flight spell.

He will be looking to add to his tally when Eddie Howe’s men host Cardiff at Vitality Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

He said: “I’ve done everything in my power and worked hard throughout pre-season.

“I feel strong and it’s all about the gaffer picking the team. Whoever puts on that shirt, they have to earn it and keep performing well.

“We have to be concentrating on Cardiff and that’s our main aim. They have a point to prove but we need to bring them back down to earth and play our free-flowing football.”