BOSS Scott Parker said Dominic Solanke would be “fine” should a new striker arrive at Cherries and insisted he needed the competition.

Solanke is the only recognised senior frontman in Cherries’ squad at present.

Only youngster Christian Saydee is the other striker Parker can currently call on, after the club sold Sam Surridge to Stoke City for £5.5million earlier this month.

Parker experimented with midfielder Emiliano Marcondes in a false nine role during Tuesday’s 6-0 defeat at Norwich City.

But the boss openly revealed the club had been after a frontman before the summer transfer window closes on Tuesday.

Asked how Solanke was reacting to talk of a new striker coming in, Parker said: “I wouldn’t have thought it was bothering him at all really. Competition, if anything, he’d want that.

“I know when I was playing, the best bit for me was when a midfielder stepped into the building for the first time. That was exactly what I wanted, exactly what I needed.

“Dom needs competition. We need the competition and that’s what Dom needs, that’s best for him.

“As a team, we need that as well, so Dom is fine with that.”

Solanke already has three Championship goals this season, and told the Daily Echo this month he was out to better his tally of 15 for the previous campaign.

Asked whether he had set the England International any goal targets for the season, head coach Parker said: “I hate setting targets really and I don’t set anyone targets.

“As a team or individually, I don’t really set targets – probably more general.

“What I do set is exactly standards, improving and wanting to get better – and how professional you are on a daily basis.

“How hard you work on your game when you are finishing, if you’re Dom for instance, on your finer techniques – how many hours are you putting in?

“Because I do know that, if he does that, he will score plenty of goals."