JACK Stacey says he is relishing the "big step up" to the Premier League.

Cherries' new recruit spent last season at League One Luton, with his previous highest level of competition coming in six Championship games with Reading over four years ago.

And the 23-year-old is under no illusions to the size of the task ahead.

He told the afcbTV: "It has been a bit of a journey.

"I've been trying to improve and I think the environment at Luton allowed me to do that.

"The fact we went from League Two to League One and improving as a player myself helped me to be here now.

"Obviously it's going to be a big step up and it might take a little while to adapt from League One, but I'm looking forward to it, to learning and improving as a player and hopefully getting to the standard required."

Celtic and Stoke were also reportedly interested in signing Stacey this summer after his impressive campaign with the Hatters.

But the right-back says Eddie Howe played a big part in his decision to move to Dorset.

Stacey said: "I think they Bournemouth try and play football the right way, which was important for me, the style of team that I was going to sign for.

"The manager was a massive factor in signing.

"I think it's somewhere I could thrive."