DEFIANT goalkeeper Ryan Allsop put the finishing touches to his fresh one-year contract with Cherries and then declared: “I am not here to make up the numbers.”

The 23-year-old stopper was yesterday confirmed as the only out-of-contract player to remain at Dean Court this summer having finalised the paperwork on a new deal.

Cherries acted swiftly to recruit last season’s loan star Artur Boruc and ex-Reading stopper Adam Federici ahead of their Premier League bow with Lee Camp also set to compete for the shirt.

Allsop revealed there had been interest from elsewhere but that his acceptance of boss Eddie Howe’s challenge to vie for a first-team place was never in doubt.

Since starring in the final 10 matches of Cherries' promotion from League One in 2013, Allsop suffered a stop-start two years which featured a bout of glandular fever and half a season on loan at Coventry but remains determined to seize his top-flight dream.

Allsop told the Daily Echo: “Going into the Premier League, I feel like I have a lot to offer and it is a case of proving myself to people and trying to fulfil my potential.

“To a certain extent I feel that my time in the team got cut short a little bit by one thing or another. That was through me having a sticky patch and the illness as well, so I feel like I have a lot to prove to people.

“I want to show I am good enough to keep pace with the rapid success of this team. I will need games to progress this season but see no reason why I should not be fighting for a first-team place.

“I am not here to make up the numbers. I am here to push the other goalkeepers and learn as much as I can from being around top-quality players. I am not going to rest, I want to improve and get as close to it as I can.

“All through the summer I have kept myself ticking over with fitness work. I feel ready for pre-season and want to try to make the biggest statement to the manager that I can.”

Allsop added: “There were a couple of teams other interested but I said throughout last season that I wanted to be here and nothing has changed.

“I am very pleased to be staying. It is a big season for everyone and I am looking forward to being a part of it.”