BOSS Eddie Howe claimed he was “not close” to adding to his squad before the end of the transfer window.

With Thursday's deadline looming, Cherries continue to be linked with Leicester City winger Demarai Gray.

But when asked how close he was to a new addition, Howe replied: “We’re not close.

“I am not ruling anything out but certainly not ruling anything in. Let’s wait and see.”

He added: “At the moment we don’t feel in any desperate need to add to the squad with Simon Francis and Junior Stanislas, hopefully, not too far away. They are not long-term injuries.

“I think if you add those two players back into the squad, the squad looks a lot stronger.

“That’s why I don’t think we need to make any knee-jerk reactions.

“But if we feel in the last few days of the window that there’s something we can do and think it would benefit the squad, then we will look to do it.”

Howe confirmed Francis, Stanislas and long-term absentee Callum Wilson would miss tomorrow’s home Premier League clash against Manchester City (12.30pm).