MICK McCarthy reckons Cherries winger Ryan Fraser "could play for any team in the Premier League" in a glowing reference given to Eddie Howe.

The Ipswich boss, who took Scotland under-21 international Fraser on loan last season, revealed he had made the case for the ex-Aberdeen man's top-flight bow.

McCarthy said: “I spoke to Eddie, and I’m sure he knows anyway, but he asked me what I thought and I said I thought he could play for any team in the Premier League.

“If you put him in he’d handle it, he’d play on the inside and go past people. He can see a pass, has a goal in him and he does all the dirty stuff. I think was the big reason he came to us because he knew he’d have to do it and he did.

“I remember him against Brighton winning a header against the six-foot tall wide player coming in. He was at the far stick heading it clear. He bought into it, he’s a great kid.”

But McCarthy played down the prospect of moving for Fraser again this summer.

"I did ask. I spoke to Eddie, I didn’t think so but I’ve left my marker down just in case.

“They’re signing Jordon Ibe, I believe, he’s a right winger. Ryan’s a left winger, he’s better on the left coming in on his right, a bit like Matt Jarvis who I worked with at Wolves."