MANAGER Eddie Howe admitted speculation linking him with Chelsea had been “nice” but said his focus remained firmly on Cherries.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is expected to appoint a permanent successor to Jose Mourinho in the summer with interim manager Guus Hiddink intimating he will not stay on.

And while Abramovich has a number of star names on his radar, he has apparently added four Premier League managers to a contingency list – with Howe among them.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the short-list comprises Howe, Leicester’s Claudio Ranieri, Mark Hughes at Stoke and Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino.

Howe, who beat Mourinho to the LMA manager-of-the-year award, is said to have impressed Chelsea officials having guided the club into the Premier League.

Responding to the story, Howe said: “My focus is here. I have heard about the story but you look at it and then it’s forgotten. It’s just gone, it doesn’t mean anything so it’s work, Portsmouth and making sure we progress in this cup competition.

“I always say – and this is for players and for me – it’s nice when you get linked with other clubs or jobs because it means you’re doing a good job where you are. I would take that every day of the week because it means that, hopefully, we are achieving our aim of staying in the Premier League.”

Howe was entitled to a new contract with Cherries after taking them into the top flight and signed the deal in October, which is believed to run until 2020.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Echo at the time, Howe reiterated his commitment to Cherries and said: “My stance has always been very clear. While I am enjoying such a good relationship with the owner and the people who run the club, I am very happy here.

“The job is an exciting and challenging one but I am absolutely where I want to be in terms of league and club. I am desperate to move this club forward even more and to continue the success we have had.

“It is never about one person. It is a collective effort to produce a successful team. It requires everybody to move things forward and to help each other. The players are the most important ones because they have to go out and deliver and they have certainly done that for the last three years.

“Max is someone who constantly shares my ethos for progression. He never wants to stand still and keeps demanding more. He deserves the credit for how he has transformed this club and not just on the pitch.

“People can get blindsided by the team. He has invested in all key areas for the long-term success and I feel that is even more important.”