ANYONE who has bought a house knows the myriad of problems involved. If your potential purchase is part of a chain, the matter becomes even more complex.

For Cherries chairman Jeff Mostyn, that was not dissimilar to how the January transfer window played out.

Cherries ended the month having signed one player – that being potential star of the future Aaron Ramsdale – but were thwarted in their attempts beyond that.

Late on deadline day, boss Eddie Howe told the media that the club had attempted to bring back Dutchman Nathan Ake following his early recall from a loan spell in Dorset by parent club Chelsea.

Ake had proved a proved a popular figure on the south coast and following his return to Stamford Bridge, the Blues were unwilling to part with the versatile 21-year-old either on loan or permanently.

The deadline came and went. So what, for Mostyn, were the reasons Cherries ended up with just one new face?

“The transfer market in January was completely unstable,” said Mostyn, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Echo. “From our position, it wasn’t through a lack of effort.

“We have a recruitment team. Obviously, Eddie has a wishlist and then Richard Hughes and Neill Blake conduct the vast majority of the negotiations on our behalf.

“They were working practically 24/7 throughout the transfer window to try to get deals for the individuals we sought over the line and it just wasn’t possible.

“Clubs were holding back on releasing players until such time as they got their own act together. Right at the 11th hour, the sequence of events didn’t work in our favour.

“It was like a house chain – somebody makes an offer for a house but they have to pull out at the last minute because they have not sold their own.

“I’ve never known a recruitment team at this club work so hard over any given transfer window and been so disappointed at the end.”

Asked if he understood supporters’ concerns, Mostyn continued: “I can understand the desire of fans to have numerous players signed but we also have to take into account, what is the point of bringing in numbers if they aren’t going to benefit the team?

“Are our supporters disappointed we haven’t brought numbers in compared with other clubs, or are they just disappointed?

“You are always compared with your peers and some clubs have been successful in getting four or five signings over the line – only time will tell if they are positive.

“Last season, Newcastle spent close to £60million and were relegated. It’s early days but Crystal Palace have spent more than £27m and lost 4-0 to Sunderland recently.

“What Eddie has always said is that it’s not anything to do with the quantity of players, it’s about the quality.

“If we could not get anyone in of quality, we were not prepared to spend money, which would also have created criticism among our supporters.”

Mostyn politely declined to comment on individual targets in line with club policy, although Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic – who spent time on loan at Dean Court a decade ago – was strongly linked with a move to the south coast.

Reflecting generally on the window, Mostyn continued: “Wage demands form part of the negotiating stance and when people are talking about the value of players, we take into account the entire cost of a player over his contractual period to the football club.

“It’s not a question of someone coming in for £10million or someone coming in on a free if they are going to cost £26m in wages. Every item of expenditure in relation to that player is taken into account as to whether or not it provides value.

“We are really fortunate to have a manager like Eddie Howe, who is not one of these managers who says, ‘I only need another five players and we’re complete’.

“Eddie looks very carefully at the economics and unless he believes that player represents good value for the owners of the football club, he will not entertain buying that player.”

Away from the window, unsubstantiated rumours of financial issues at Cherries have been doing the rounds. And Mostyn wasted no time scotching the speculation.

“I’ve never heard of an issue relating to the financial stability of the football club,” he said.

“All I can say is, wherever these rumours have emanated, they have not been attributed to anybody at the club, so it is pure rumour.

“This club has a very strong financial base.”

For Mostyn, Cherries’ season and a half in the Premier League has been nothing less than a joy. And he believes his club are well liked in the top flight.

“From a personal point of view, I’m loving the relationships we’ve developed and I think we have probably become one of the most popular clubs and most popular boards as a consequence of how we treat our peers in the Premier League,” he said.

“I can only speak from the comments people have made when they have visited the club. They speak highly of everybody from the people in the car park to the receptionist, right through to how we look after them and the respect we show them off the field.

“It could not have gone better. In terms of popularity, I would have thought we were right at the pinnacle of the Premier League.”

Among the board members at Cherries are Americans Matt Hulsizer and Jay Coppoletta, who became directors when they acquired a 25 per cent share of the club following the rise to the top flight. And Mostyn offered an insight into the duo’s input into matters at Cherries.

He said: “They are extremely enthusiastic about how the club is managed and run, and are very ambitious in respect of the future development of the club.

“In terms of financial support, they are unwavering.

“In terms of our stadium plans, they also give that 100 per cent support.

“We couldn’t ask for a better relationship because they offer guidance and support but at the same time, they leave us to run the football club in the way in which we believe it should be run. They also have regular dialogue with Neill Blake on any major issues involving the business.”

One of the board’s key upcoming decisions will be the ticket-pricing structure for next season, with other matters having taken greater priority of late.

Mostyn added: “We have not sat down as a board and come to a decision over ticket-pricing but it will be considered imminently.”