Cherries boss Paul Groves is ready to throw down the gauntlet to Jonathan Meades by urging him to challenge Charlie Daniels for a first-team place.

Meades is pondering Cherries’ offer of a two-year contract with Groves hopeful the 20-year-old defender will put pen to paper on the deal today.

Groves moved swiftly to open talks with Meades after the player impressed during a two-game trial spell with Cherries over pre-season.

Meades, released by Cardiff City at the end of last season, lined up against Havant & Waterlooville and was also given a 90-minute run-out against Reading.

Although Meades did not face his former club last night, he was among the crowd at Goldsands Stadium to see Cherries go down 2-1 against the Bluebirds.

Groves, speaking at his post-match press conference, said: “We are getting very close with Jonathan and, hopefully, we will have secured something within the next 24 hours.

“He acquitted himself reasonably well in the two games he was involved in and has shown he has decent qualities. He is someone who could help us in that area.

“Every player has a little bit of work to do to progress and Jonathan is no different. He has the capabilities to be able to push on and challenge Charlie.”

Groves also confirmed the signing of former Cherries star Richard Hughes was “virtually done”, with the 33-year-old having passed a medical yesterday.

Hughes, who has come out of retirement to rejoin Cherries after a 10-year absence, is unlikely to be match fit for the start of the season having not played competitively for 18 months.

Groves said: “It is difficult to put a time-frame on how long Richard will take and we will have to be a little bit patient with building him up.”

Manager Groves described Cherries’ latest pre-season showing against Cardiff as “mixed”. Teenager Josh Wakefield opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half before goals from Peter Whittingham and Heidar Helguson won the day for the visitors.

“We got into some good positions in the first half and probably should have done a little better than we did but it was encouraging,” said Groves.

“We found it difficult in the second half and they gave us a few problems.”

Meanwhile, Groves said Josh McQuoid ’s scan to his injured heel had revealed no tear. However, the striker seems unlikely to regain his fitness ahead of the start of the season as the area is still badly bruised and tender.

Fellow frontman Frank Demouge, who has endured a torrid time since joining Cherries last month, is today expected to ascertain the full extent of a knee injury when he sees a specialist.

Groves said the addition of Hughes would rule out the possibility of Cherries making a move for former Dean Court favourite Anton Robinson – and laughed off Internet rumours claiming Southampton striker Lee Barnard was training with the club.

Cherries: Flahavan, Case, Barrett, Cook, Daniels (Makoni, 87), Wakefield (Gilkes, h-t), Arter, Gregory, McDermott (Jamal, 63), Grabban (Moth, 60), Stockley (Cargill, 87).

Bluebirds: Lewis (Parish, 77), McNaughton (Blake, 63), Taylor (Nugent, 77), Hudson, Turner, Whittingham, Cowie (Kiss, h-t), Velikonja (Earnshaw, 60), Conway, Ralls (O’Sullivan, 84), Helguson (Jarvis, 63).

Attendance: 1,644 (inc 234 away supporters).

  • Cherries continue their warm-up campaign with a trip to neighbours Wimborne Town tonight (7.45pm kick-off).