CHERRIES boss Eddie Howe believes goalkeeper Ryan ‘Rocky’ Allsop has his “best years ahead of him” after rewarding him with a new deal.

Allsop, one of Howe’s first signings in his second spell as manager, has penned a two-year contract, tying him to the club until the summer of 2018.

The 23-year-old was named in Cherries’ 25-man Premier League squad and featured just once when he came off the bench during the epic 3-3 draw with Everton in November.

Allsop, who established himself as first choice under Howe during Cherries’ League One promotion campaign, was behind Artur Boruc and Adam Federici in the pecking order last season.

He made 18 appearances during a loan spell with Wycombe in the second half of the season before answering an SOS from Portsmouth to line up in their League Two play-off semi-final.

Allsop, who was a target for ambitious Scottish Premiership outfit Aberdeen, started both legs for Pompey as they suffered a dramatic defeat at Plymouth to miss out on a trip to Wembley.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “Ryan did very well during his time at Wycombe.

“He gathered and gained the experience he needs at this stage of his career and, for a goalkeeper, he is still young and someone who we believe has his best years ahead of him.

“We believe we need a team of good goalkeepers so are delighted he has committed his future to us.

“For his relatively short career so far, he has crammed in a lot of experiences. He was part of our promotion team from League One and has had various loan spells which are all helping him advance his career.

“It is very important for us to have a team of goalkeepers who can work together and Rocky is a great personality and character within the dressing room. He is well liked by the players and very hard working on the training ground."

Since winning promotion to the Premier League, Cherries have been linked with a host of players – with numerous goalkeepers among them.

Ahead of the opening of the January transfer window, Marco Sportiello from Atalanta, Mark Birighitti from Australian outfit Newcastle Jets and Malaga’s Carlos Kameni were reported to be targets.

And although the list increased when the names of Norwich City’s John Ruddy and Diego Lopez of AC Milan were added, the only addition to the goalkeeping department was Lithuanian under-19 international Marius Adamonis on loan FK Atlantas.

The rumour mill again went into overdrive in February when the Daily Mirror suggested Cherries were preparing to splash out £3.9million on Poland under-21 stopper Bartlomiej Dragowski.

It was claimed the teenager, who had also been linked with Chelsea and Juventus, had been personally recommended to Cherries by Boruc.

The Mirror quoted Dragowski’s father Dariusz as saying Cherries had made a “transfer offer” for the 18-year-old who plays for Polish top-flight club Jagiellonia Bialystok and starred in last season’s Europa League.

However, with Cherries currently in talks with Boruc to extend his stay, it is unlikely Howe would add to his team of goalkeepers should he agree fresh terms.