ANDONI Iraola says the club have a “very difficult job” to replace Dominic Solanke, adding: “I hope they make the right call.”

Cherries lost their star striker over the weekend, Solanke departing to join Tottenham Hotspur for a fee which could reach £65million.

With Enes Unal out injured, that leaves summer signing Daniel Jebbison as the club’s only recognised senior striker heading into the first Premier League game of the season this weekend.

Iraola has often explained how he does not play a key role in recruitment, leaving that to others within the club.

Discussing the search for a striker, Iraola said: “I trust the club, definitely.

“I think they have a very difficult job right now, because to replace Dom Solanke, who is the most expensive sale we’ve done in club history, is going to be very, very difficult.

“But I know they are working hard. They are trying hard and I trust them. I am sure they will give their best and they will sign a number nine, definitely.

“I hope they make the right call.

“Definitely we are going to sign a striker, this is for sure. What we have to be sure is that he is the right profile for us, that comes with the right mentality and can give us a lot of things.

“Sometimes it is not about finding the most similar player to Dom Solanke. It is the best number nine, who also can adapt to our system well and that is what we are going to try to do.”

He added: “I will try to help, obviously. I will give my opinion and analyse the profiles that they are studying.

“They have not just started now looking at number nines. They obviously have different profiles and now it’s a matter of making everything match.

“There are always three parts in every deal and everyone has to be happy. It is not easy.

“For sure we will have to spend money, because also clubs know that now we have sold expensive!

“It’s normal that we spend some money now. But it is not about now you have this money, you have to spend. No, you have to make the right deal.

“Maybe you find a striker who is just £10million, but he is the right one for you in that moment.

“It is not that because he is cheap now, we are not going to sign him. If he’s cheap, it’s even better!

“It is about getting the best striker we can, that can also play with us, is hungry to come here and play like we are going to demand him.”

Daniel Jebbison, right, scored against GironaDaniel Jebbison, right, scored against Girona (Image: Richard Crease)

Asked if the new striker signing has to be brought in with the intention of being first choice, or if Unal could fill that role when fit, Iraola replied: “When you sign, you want to sign imagining we had Solanke. When we sign our forward, you want to sign one better than Solanke.

“It is almost impossible, but you are not thinking we are going to sign a third choice forward.

“After, his performance, Enes’s performance and Jebbo’s performance will dictate who is the starter, who is the second and it is not going to be the same all season.

“We will try to choose the right moment for each player and I think Enes will be very good for us this season, I trust him a lot.

“But right now, he will be out for some weeks.

“So we cannot count on him for the first games of the season.

“So we will have to try other solutions.

“The club is going to try to sign the forward this week. But we cannot rush it because he has to be ready for the Forest game.

“I would prefer to lose two weeks and make the correct call, than to rush everything because he has to arrive for the first game.”