CHERRIES manager Eddie Howe has described the signing of experienced Southampton goalkeeper Artur Boruc as “a major coup”.

Boruc today completed a loan move to Dean Court and Howe says his arrival will boost competition for places in the club’s goalkeeping department.

The 34-year-old will compete with Lee Camp for the number-one spot and is in contention to be in the Cherries squad for tomorrow's Championship clash at Watford.

Boruc, who will stay with Cherries until January, kept 14 clean sheets in 29 appearances in the Premier League for Southampton last season.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Echo, Howe said: “We have good competition for places in every other position and I wanted to increase it in the goalkeeping department. I am a firm believer that you always get the best out of people when they are pushing one another.

“Artur is a presence and has a great deal of experience behind him, both at club and international level. He was Southampton’s first-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League last season, he kept a number of clean sheets and performed very well.

“He is good on crosses, a very good shot-stopper and comfortable with his feet. I think we are getting a very good goalkeeper and someone who has been there at the very highest level. I have every confidence he will prove to be a good signing for us.

“Southampton had an outstanding season and he was part of a very good side. He had a key role in their success and I think we are very fortunate to be able to get him. For a Championship club to sign a goalkeeper who performed very well in the Premier League last season is a major coup for us.

“We have a team of excellent goalkeepers and I am looking forward to seeing them work together and bring out the best in one another.”

Boruc, who lined up for Saints in their pre-season friendly victory over Cherries at Dean Court, has fallen out of favour under new boss Ronald Koeman and been displaced by Fraser Forster, a £10million signing from Celtic last month.

He joined Saints as a free agent after leaving Serie A giants Fiorentina in 2012, having previously spent five years at Celtic where he won the Scottish Premier League three times.

Capped more than 50 times by his country, Boruc was Poland’s first-choice at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany and the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland. He is currently vying for a place with Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczęsny.

Camp kept clean sheets in Cherries' first two Championship games of the campaign after missing the whole of pre-season with a thigh injury.

Cherries, however, have conceded 10 goals in their past five league games despite having restricted their opposition to only a few scoring chances.