EDDIE Howe watched Cherries prospect Kyle Taylor increase his stock and admitted: “I like the look of him.”

That Taylor had signed a new one-and-a-half year contract was announced on Tuesday, hours after the midfielder scored his second goal in as many games for Carl Fletcher’s youngsters during the 6-0 Premier League Cup win over Bury at Vitality Stadium.

The 18-year-old was also on target in the Hampshire Senior Cup quarter-final victory at Eastleigh at the end of last month, some 13 days after making his first-team debut off the bench in the 3-0 FA Cup loss at Wigan.

Reflecting on Taylor’s potential impact, Howe told the Daily Echo: “I’d say he’s definitely one to watch if you are a Bournemouth fan and you are wanting to see what is coming through from the youth department.

“Jack Simpson and Kyle and a couple of others are doing very well.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on the kid. Hopefully, he will have a long career.

“He’s still got to work incredibly hard but he’s got a lovely manner about him. He’s a really nice lad, very polite, has good mannerisms around the training ground and works hard but most importantly, he’s a very talented player so I like the look of him.

“It’s very difficult to bracket him. He is definitely a ball-playing player. He’s technically very good, comfortable off both feet and has a lovely way that he controls and passes the ball.

“He’s a modern-day centre-midfield player or attacking player who can make a difference in the final third.”

Taylor penned a six-year youth contract with Cherries when he was 12. He had joined the academy two years previously after being spotted playing for Poole-based side Lytchett Red Triangle.

Last summer, he signed his first professional contract, the teenager admitting he had broken down when phoning his dad to tell him he had been handed a two-year deal. Taylor was one of the stars of Cherries under-18s’ EFL Youth Alliance Cup triumph last season, scoring twice in the final at Wigan, with his second strike to cap a 4-2 victory a spectacular, slaloming effort.

He also featured in the Hampshire Senior Cup final against Basingstoke Town in May, the latter side prevailing on penalties following a 0-0 draw.

The teenager attended Cherries’ pre-season trip to Marbella and featured in the win over Estoril, while he has also trained with the first team this campaign.

And with Taylor progressing rapidly, Howe believes he can pick up plenty of pointers from Cherries’ leading talents in the middle of the park.

The boss said: “He’s got some great role models in and around centre midfield. I think, ultimately, that is what he will be although he can play wide as well.

"The likes of Andrew Surman, Dan Gosling, Lewis Cook and Harry Arter are great ones for him to look at.”