Eddie Howe: I’ll Turn Chris Mepham Into Top-Class Defender

Eddie Howe is confident Wales defender Chris Mepham will develop into an outstanding player following his move to AFC Bournemouth.

The 21-year-old’s much-expected switch to the Cherries was completed this week when he joined in a £12million deal from Brentford.

And Howe, regarded as one of football’s top coaches, is relishing the chance to nurture Mepham’s potential now he has stepped up from the Championship.

And that can only be good news for Wales manager Ryan Giggs as he looks to build a squad for the next European Championships campaign and beyond that are playing at the highest level.

“Chris is very comfortable on the ball, composed in possession, he makes a lot of good decisions, has good defensive instincts and a good mentality.

“We’re very excited about the opportunity to work with him. He’s a fantastic age with a lot of potential to be an outstanding player for us.

“We’re looking forward to developing and nurturing that potential, giving him the platform to progress his career here.

“There’s so much to like about Chris and, for that reason, we’ve taken a great interest in his career to this point.”

Eddie Howe regarded as one of England’s top young coaches.

Howe, speaking afcbTV, said: “It’s very difficult to find defenders who can do everything and we’re looking for those qualities in the players we bring in.

“The ability to play, to defend, to be athletic and to have a good attitude – getting all those things is incredibly difficult.

“But now we have the chance to work with Chris, it is about enhancing those attributes and working with him on a daily basis to maximise his potential.”

Mepham, who made his Wales debut as a sub in the 6-0 victory over China last March, made 48 competitive appearances for the Bees.

And the Hammersmith-born player is relishing the chance to work under Howe.

“There’s so much to like about this club, not least the manager,” said Mepham after making the move. What’s he’s done here is remarkable, so to be working under him every day is a really exciting prospect.”

But he may have to wait for his Premier League bow having had a few niggling injuries recently.

“It’s very difficult to make predictions on how quickly people bed in to new surroundings, with new teammates and in a new league,” added Howe.

“I believe he has the ability to play immediately but he has had a couple of injuries recently so, although he is fit, we will need to manage him carefully in this new environment.”