PRE-SEASON is set to ramp up next week when Cherries head for a training camp in Portugal, with a host of players set to get a chance to impress.

Since the end of last season, eight members of the first-team squad who clinched promotion from the Championship have now left they club, with just two new arrivals in midfielder Joe Rothwell and full-back Ryan Fredericks.

Of the eight to exit, two are centre-halves, in Gary Cahill and Nat Phillips. That leaves Lloyd Kelly and Chris Mepham as the two most experienced players in that position.

While Cherries are on the hunt for another addition in that area of the pitch, early pre-season fixtures could see a chance for some of the club's talented younger prospects, with Owen Bevan and Zeno Ibsen Rossi part of the recent training group.

But somebody who will hope to get a chance to impress is January addition James Hill.

The 20-year-old has been working away behind the scenes since arriving from Fleetwood Town, making just two first-team appearances for Cherries.

The England under-21 international could be eyed up for a loan move later in the summer, but for now looks set to be part of the plans in Portugal, with the first friendly to come against Sheffield Wednesday on July 15.

Via his social media from his time at Fleetwood, Hill shared various clips of his crunching challenges in League One.

Asked if that is what Cherries fans can expect to see a lot of, the Bristol-born talent told the Daily Echo: "I think that’s the main part of my game, the physical side of it.

"I’ve obviously been playing men’s football for a while and it’s really honed down the tackling side.

"I take joy in putting in big tackles and I take joy and big pride of trying to keep the ball out the back of my net.

"I think that’s the main part of my job.

"I’m really starting to enjoy that part of the job. I think you’ve got to in the circumstance, being a defender. For me, that’s a massive part of my game now."

Another weapon in Hill's arsenal which Cherries fans are yet to see in action, is his long throw-in.

Discussing how he discovered he possessed that particular skill, Hill, son of former Premier League defender Matt, explained: "I kind of just found that out from being a youngster.

"I used to love all the throwing events at school and from that I just managed to take on throw-in and I realised I could throw the ball really far.

"It wasn’t only until the last couple of seasons, playing with Joey Barton (at Fleetwood) and playing the professional game that I’m starting to realise how much of an arsenal that is to have for myself."

Asked if he partook in any other sports growing up, Hill said: "I was quite sporty, so I quite enjoyed my cricket, I was a massive rugby player.

"I liked playing rugby and I liked my athletics.

"So I was very into my sport and from there I’ve just really taken football and really wanted to make that a profession."