BOSS Eddie Howe insisted there was “no ceiling” to what Joshua King could achieve after hailing the striker’s “excellent” attitude.

Snapped up by Cherries for a bargain £1million from Blackburn in the summer of 2015, King has proven to become one of the Dorset club’s best top-flight acquisitions.

The former Manchester United youngster leads Cherries’ all-time Premier League goalscoring charts – with 32 strikes coming from 106 appearances.

Norwegian international King has started the current campaign with two goals and an assist in six league contests – his strikes coming at home against Everton and Leicester City.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “There is no ceiling to what he can achieve if he shows the right attitude.

“I’d say he has developed a lot. He was a superbly talented player when we signed him, I don’t think there was any doubt about that and I’m sure Blackburn realised that as well.

“Athletically he was so good and so powerful. He has done really well. We have just given him the platform to do it and worked with him, as we do with all our players behind the scenes.

“I think he has improved and his attitude to that work has been excellent. I am really pleased with what he has delivered to this point.”

No Cherries player has scored more goals in a season at England’s elite level than the 26-year-old, whose best haul came with 16 league goals during the 2016-17 campaign – in which Cherries finished a club record ninth.

Plucked from the Championship having signed for Rovers in January 2013, King was yet to make an appearance in the top flight before linking up with Cherries.

Asked whether he was Howe’s best Premier League signing, the boss replied: “It’s difficult when I am asked this question to bracket them, put list together or rank them. You don’t want to be disrespectful to anybody else who has done so well down the years.

“But I certainly consider him a good one. With the fee we paid, you don’t get players like that now. We are very pleased with that business.” Howe once again delved into the second tier to recruit youngster David Brooks from Sheffield United in July.

The Wales international has made a huge impact since his £10million move from Bramall Lane.

Midfielder Lewis Cook has gone on to become an England international after Cherries swooped for his services from Championship Leeds in deal understood to be £7million in July 2016.

With inflation in the transfer market continuing to rapidly rise, the Cherries boss stressed the need to be certain on a player’s capabilities.

“It’s tougher to get them at lower prices because the good players will always cost money. It’s all relative and the transfer fees inflate,” he added.

“Even the cheap ones now you are paying millions, whereas a few years ago you are paying maybe a million or half a million pounds and seeing that as a bit of a risk – but a risk worth taking,

“Now it is costing you a lot more money and that’s where you have to try to make sure you’ve got all the information you need on the player.

“I’d like to think we know about players at all levels and you have to.

“I don’t think you can limit your search for players because the pool, as you get higher, gets smaller.”