EDDIE Mitchell expressed his irritation at the persistence of player agents after revealing interest in Cherries’ star names had hit new heights this summer.

The Cherries chairman claimed he had been inundated by phone calls from representatives trying to get valuations for some of the club’s leading lights.

Mitchell reiterated that none of the club’s players were for sale and, if they were, he would have already put a price on their heads.

He insists the club is “desperately trying” to keep Lee Bradbury’s squad intact and has told the agents they will need to come back with bids if they are to tempt the Dean Court outfit into selling.

Mitchell told the Echo: “Just about every player’s agent has phoned me asking if so and so is for sale. I have said so many times they are not for sale.

“They say ‘how much do you expect for him?’ and I say ‘he is not for sale.’ They are so insistent on trying to get valuations out of me that I think it is a bit naughty.

“If they were for sale, I would put For Sale signs on them or I would ring their agents and tell them they were for sale.

“If an agent wants to prise somebody out of us, they are going to have to come to me with an offer, not ask me how much I want for them because I don’t want to sell them.

“But if they come with an offer, I can turn it down or accept it.”

Mitchell added: “I must have had seven agents in the past week not only phoning me once but several times. It just gets very irritating.

“It has never been this intense. It is very counter-productive for me and not really what we want to hear.

“We are desperately trying to keep together the team we have got and improve it for a bigger challenge next season.”