CHERRIES defender Steve Cook sought assurances about the future of boss Eddie Howe before agreeing to pen a new four-year contract with the club.

Cook admitted he had "other options" available to him but his faith in the club's ability to keep growing under Howe convinced him to commit himself to Vitality Stadium until at least the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

The 26-year-old signed the deal just three days after the end of a season in which he played every minute, as Cherries finished ninth in the Premier League.

Cook told the Daily Echo: "I have had numerous chats with the manager over the past month or two and I would not have signed a contract if I felt he was going to leave.

"For the club to continue to improve we need to keep our best players and the staff who are in charge. I am sure that will happen for many years to come and that was why I was so eager to sign.

"It was great that the club approached me so soon after the season had finished. They wanted to get things done as quickly as possible.

"I was more than happy to do that and show how committed I was to the club, otherwise it could have been a long summer and, maybe, other things would have materialised."

Cook's excellent form saw him linked with a number of Cherries' Premier League rivals, Everton, Newcastle and West Brom, among them.

He said: "If the club did not want me to stay as much as they did, there would have been other options for me.

"It would have been possible for me to go down one of those routes but the club have been very good to me.

"I feel I am a loyal person and I want to give back to the club. They have always stuck by me and now, hopefully, we can continue to grow together and achieve more success.

"This contract has put those other options to bed. I always wanted to stay at Bournemouth and, hopefully, the relationship will continue for a long time."

As a leader on the pitch and in the dressing room, Cook hopes his new deal will encourage team-mates to follow suit by pledging their futures to Cherries.

And with his contract situation settled, the centre-back is now aiming to force his way into the England reckoning.

"Talking in the changing room, I don’t get any indication that anyone wants to move on," said Cook. "We need leaders on and off the pitch and if I can add that to my game, then, fantastic.

"All the plans are in place for the club to continue building and I hope the good news will keep coming over the summer.

"My next target is to play for my country. I don’t think I'm anywhere near my peak yet, all I can do is keep playing well and maybe one day it'll happen.

"If not, then achieving success with Bournemouth is my priority."