SIRIKI Dembele could not have done much more to make a strong instant impression on Cherries fans.

Just 12 days after arriving from Peterborough United on transfer deadline day, the exciting winger slotted in a stoppage-time winner as Cherries came from behind to beat Blackpool in the wind and rain at Bloomfield Road.

Having also showed glimpses on his debut against Birmingham City earlier that week, Cherries fans would have been full of excitement heading back down the M6 at what Dembele could offer for the rest of the season and beyond.

In truth, the 25-year-old's career on the south coast has not yet fully caught fire.

Of his 13 appearances for the club, only four have been as a starter. He has netted once more since the Bloomfield Road winner, with a fine solo effort which proved to be the decisive goal in victory over Bristol City in April.

Speaking after that game, boss Scott Parker said of Dembele: “I think it’s fair to say that Dembs has probably found it a little bit difficult since coming in.

“Because it’s probably a different environment that he is used to – different culture in terms of what I expect of him.

“It’s always difficult coming in in January, as well.

“The last 10 days or two weeks, I have seen a real change in him in terms of wanting to improve and wanting to understand and learn what he needs to do.

“He’s kept jumping out on me to say ‘look, I’m on board here – give me an opportunity’.

"I just see someone who has bought into absolutely everything that we ask of him.

"Even though I do sense and I feel that maybe it's very new to him, certainly it will be very hard. I'm sure if you spoke to Dembs he'd be the first to say 'this is tough'."

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Asked if he would say that is a fair reflection of how he found the switch to Vitality Stadium, Dembele told the Daily Echo: "Yeah, I’d say so. Everything is a lot different here to what I was used to.

"And I think for a lot of players that come into here, they would say the same.

"The training regime and just a lot of things are different. So I think that’s fair to say. But it’s all good now."

Assessing his first six months at Cherries, Dembele added: "It’s not been too bad.

"I’ve been involved in some good moments, so that was nice.

"I’ve not been involved as much as I would’ve liked to be. But it’s been good."

Dembele is currently away with the squad in Portugal for a pre-season training camp, which comes to an end this week.

Having joined the club mid-season, this is his first taste of a Scott Parker pre-season.

Asked how it compared to previous summers during his time at Grimsby Town and Peterborough, the Ivory Coast-born ace admitted: "It’s a lot different!

"I don’t know what else I can say really, apart from it’s been tough.

"But it’s been good as well. Obviously getting fitter. But it’s different to other pre-seasons that I’ve had.

"Especially going into the Premier League, what he (Parker) is trying to do is make sure everyone is as fit as they possibly can be to give ourselves more of a chance."

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It has been a rapid rise for Dembele. Having started out in the youth ranks at Dundee United and Ayr United, a spell with the Nike Academy followed, competing in trial matches to try and earn a professional contract.

League Two Grimsby eventually came calling in 2017, where Dembele signed his first pro deal. Five years on, he is a Premier League player.

"Maybe when we actually start playing it will feel a lot different," he said, when asked if being in the top flight had sunk in yet.

"But the only time I felt like 'wow', was when we got promoted.

"I thought wow, we’re in the Premier League now and I’m playing in the Premier League. But for it to properly feel a bit different, maybe when we start playing I’ll feel it."

Given his relatively late entry into the pro ranks, did Dembele always believe he would reach the elite level?

"I never doubted it for one second, not in myself anyway," he insists.

"Whether it would happen or not, I didn’t know, but I didn’t doubt it. And when it would happen I didn’t know either, but I always believed it would happen.

"The goal is not only just to play in the Premier League. It’s to do a lot of great things in football and play at the highest level as I possibly can."

Dembele is expected to feature when Cherries round off their Portugal training camp with a behind-closed-doors fixture against Braga tomorrow, before returning to England to gear up for the Premier League opener on August 6.