CHERRIES are currently in Los Angeles for a two-week pre-season training camp.

It is the first time the club have gone to America since 2016 with Eddie Howe at the helm, a trip which included a 4-0 win over Minnesota United.

This year, Andoni Iraola’s men are taking in two friendlies Stateside, firstly against Wrexham this weekend, at a sold out Harder Stadium in Santa Barbara.

The League One outfit are seeing them fanbase grow across the pond, down mainly to their Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Then, next week, Cherries face Arsenal.

Cherries have had some players away on international duty and also had players out on loan last season, as well as some currently in the squad who might still leave the club this summer.

But they have a healthy-sized group currently in USA for training ahead of the two friendlies.

Last season the club left some senior players out of their pre-season plans, to encourage them to find moves away, namely Ben Pearson, Siriki Dembele and Jamal Lowe.

But there has been no such thinking this time around. Kieffer Moore and Joe Rothwell were with the first team group and training ahead of their respective departures to Sheffield United and Leeds United.

Goalkeepers

Who should be Cherries’ number one this season has been a debate which has raged for much of the summer.

The club have signed a new young goalkeeper in Alex Paulsen, but he is not part of the tour. The New Zealander spent some time training with his new teammates in England, before joining his national team for the Olympics in France.

They are in a group alongside Guinea, the United States and hosts France, with matches scheduled on July 24, July 27 and July 30, before the knockout rounds.

Neto and Mark Travers, who shared goalkeeping duties in the closing weeks of the campaign, are out in America, along with Will Dennis, who is back from a loan spell at Kilmarnock to try and stake his claim.

Defenders

Adam Smith, Marcos Senesi, Max Aarons and James Hill are all with the group, along with Chris Mepham, who missed the closing weeks of last season due to illness.

Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi featured at Euro 2024 this summer with Hungary and Ukraine respectively, but neither made it out of the group. After some time off, both are now back with the squad.

The defensive numbers have been bolstered by two of the club’s development squad talents in Owen Bevan and Max Kinsey. Bevan featured under Iraola in pre-season last year and will hope to get another chance this year, having overcome injury issues.

Young Cherries defender Max KinseyYoung Cherries defender Max Kinsey (Image: Richard Crease)

Midfielders

Lewis Cook, Alex Scott, Philip Billing and Marcus Tavernier, who all featured on the last day of the Premier League season against Chelsea, are out in America.

Romain Faivre is also part of the group for his first pre-season with the club. They have been joined by Ryan Christie, following his European Championship exploits with Scotland.

Tyler Adams, whose season was blighted by injury, is also in his home country for training, not long after featuring at Copa America.

Gavin Kilkenny, Hamed Traore and David Brooks, who spent part of last season out on loan at Fleetwood Town, Napoli and Southampton respectively, are all back involved.

Forwards

Last year’s talisman Dominic Solanke will be looking to get straight in among the goals this weekend, while Antoine Semenyo, fresh off signing his new contract, is also raring to go.

Justin Kluivert and Dango Ouattara are also part of the group, as well as new signing Daniel Jebbison. The former Sheffield United man will hope to get his chance, ahead of a potential loan move.

Enes Unal is out in America, but will not be available to feature against Wrexham or Arsenal due to a foot injury.

Jaidon Anthony, who spent last season on loan at Leeds United, is also with the squad, alongside youngster Daniel Adu-Adjei, who made his Cherries debut in January.

Luis Sinisterra is not with the group, having lost Sunday’s Copa America final with Colombia.