CHERRIES boss Eddie Howe admits spending in the Premier League this summer has been "incredible" and says the club is guarding against "overcooking" its outlay.

Top-flight sides have parted with mammoth transfer fees in the current window with Manchester United breaking the world record in signing £89million star Paul Pogba.

But United are far from on their own with the league as a whole spending around £800m between May and the start of the current season.

Highly-rated defender John Stones joined Manchester City for a reported £47.5m while Granit Xhaka and Michy Batshuayi joined Arsenal and Chelsea, respectively, for more than £30m each.

Cherries, off the back of earning more than £70m in prize money from their inaugural top-flight campaign, are believed to have spent around £30m this summer on the permanent signings of Jordon Ibe, Lewis Cook, Lys Mousset, Brad Smith, Emerson Hyndman and Marc Wilson, while Nathan Ake arrived on loan from Chelsea.

However, the Vitality Stadium club have recouped more than half that figure in transfer fees following the exits of Matt Ritchie, Tommy Elphick, Lee Tomlin and Shaun MacDonald.

Reflecting on the cash spent in the top flight during the window, Howe said: “It’s an incredible amount of money and it’s difficult to get your head round it sometimes – the figures that are being spent, even that we're spending.

“I do have to add that we’ve recouped a considerable sum as well so our net spending isn’t that big.

“That’s the way of the league – if we don’t spend money we don’t become competitive. We have to be competitive to try and stay in it, to hit the rewards that being in the Premier League gives you.

“It’s a very delicate balance between doing that and overcooking things for us because we’re a totally different club to others.”

Spending appears to have been impacted by unprecedented levels of television revenue, with clubs able to sign players until the window slams shut at the end of this month.

Howe last week admitted prior to recruiting Republic of Ireland international Wilson that he was hopeful of adding "one or two" players to his squad.

Finances aside, the Cherries manager has been delighted to see some of the world's most exciting talent arrive on these shores.

He added: “It’s not for me to talk about the money other clubs spend but I’m pleased the best players are coming here.

"I embrace that – it’s great for the league. It's not so great for us when we play against them but great for the league.

“You’re testing yourselves against the very best in the world.”