EDDIE Howe welcomed Callum Wilson’s decision to pen a new deal at Cherries and insisted the frontman was integral to the club’s future.

Wilson will remain at Vitality Stadium until at least the summer of 2020 after signing a fresh four-year contract last week.

The former Coventry City ace hit 20 league goals as Cherries won the Championship in 2014-15 but saw his progress hampered by a serious knee injury last term.

Wilson scored five goals – including a hat-trick at West Ham in August – prior to rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament at Stoke in September.

He did not feature again until the trip to Aston Villa in April and made five further appearances before the end of the campaign

Reflecting on Coventry-born striker Wilson’s decision to extend his stay in Dorset, Howe said: “I am delighted Callum sees his future here.

“He started last season so well that we all felt that it would be a huge season for him in the Premier League.

“That was all changed by the injury but it was really good to see him come back so strongly and we are really hopeful he can pick up where he left off. We see him as an integral part of the squad.”

Howe was speaking to the club website.