EDDIE Howe says Baily Cargill must be certain of his fitness before playing for loan club Gillingham.

Cherries defender Cargill has not appeared for the Gills following his move to the League One team at the end of August.

The 21-year-old sustained ankle ligament damage in the fifth game of his temporary spell with Coventry City towards the end of last season.

And although Cargill is reportedly on the verge of being able to train with Gillingham, Cherries’ boss Howe says a degree of caution should be exercised with respect to the player’s competitive return.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “Hopefully in the foreseeable future he’ll be back. But he has to make sure that when he declares he’s fit, he’s able to do himself justice at a good level.

“He has to perform well for his team. I don’t think he’ll be ready this week, but hopefully not far after.”

Cargill made his Cherries debut in a League Cup tie at Exeter in August 2014 and has played a further nine first-team games for the club – all in cup competitions.

He signed a fresh Cherries deal in 2015, tying him to Vitality Stadium until 2018.