CHERRIES manager Eddie Howe is this week expected to continue his squad strengthening by making Marc Wilson his seventh summer signing.

The experienced central defender, who has spent two loan spells with Cherries, is set to join from Stoke City for an initial fee in the region of £1.5million.

Howe confirmed the clubs had reached agreement on a figure and Wilson was among the crowd for Cherries’ 3-1 defeat by Manchester United at Vitality Stadium yesterday.

Wilson is understood to have finalised terms on a two-year contract and will sign subject to successfully passing a medical, which is due to take place early this week.

Capped 24 times by the Republic of Ireland, Wilson was first linked with a move to Cherries by the Daily Echo on our Twitter feed at the end of June.

The 28-year-old played briefly with Howe during his time at Portsmouth and worked under him after being drafted in on loan by former Cherries boss Kevin Bond in 2006-07.

Wilson made 19 appearances in League One during his first spell and returned for a month the following season, playing seven times in League One and once in the Football League Trophy when Howe was a member of Bond’s coaching staff.

One of Portsmouth’s youngest captains, Wilson joined Stoke in a player-plus-cash exchange deal in August 2010 which saw Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson move in the opposite direction.

He has made 176 appearances for the Potters but was restricted by injury to just one Premier League start last season.

Wilson was understood to have been a target for Howe before sustaining a knee injury in an FA Cup tie against Crystal Palace which ruled him out for four months.

He was named in the Republic of Ireland’s initial 35-man squad for Euro 2016 but was subsequently withdrawn after suffering a setback.

The Stoke Sentinel has suggested the fee for Wilson is £2m, which could rise to £4m with add-ons.

His move comes just days after City boss Mark Hughes admitted it was time for Wilson to find another club.

Hughes insisted his decision had been made before Wilson had taken to social media to seemingly criticise his manager.

In an exchange with supporters on Twitter, Wilson claimed there was not enough defensive work on the training pitch and questioned the team’s work ethic after losing the ball.

Wilson saw Cherries beaten by United in their Premier League opener from a seat in Maxim Demin’s executive box.

Goals from Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney, both of which had an element of good fortune to them, were followed by a stunning 25-yard strike from new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Mata was presented with an open goal after an error by Simon Francis had been followed by the Spaniard profiting from a ricochet, while Rooney headed home from close range after Anthony Martial had sliced a cross on to his head.

Although Adam Smith reduced the arrears with a finely-taken effort 21 minutes from time, Cherries were unable to stage a recovery.