Bournemouth are in talks to sign Fleetwood Town’s James Hill, according to the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath. 

McGrath has written on Twitter that Bournemouth are in position to beat a number of Premier League clubs to the signature of the England U20 international. 

“Fleetwood Town in talks to sell England U20 centre-back James Hill to Bournemouth #FTFC #AFCB who are in position to beat #EPL teams for highly rated teenager,” wrote the journalist. 

Fleetwood are set to receive a record fee for a player, according to Tom Barclay, with the fee estimated to be £1.6 million plus extras.

The Cherries are not the only club with a wealth of top clubs keeping tabs on the player including Barcelona, Tottenham and Leeds United.

Hill, 19, has featured in 13 league games for Fleetwood Town this season. Hill made his debut for the club at only 16 in an EFL Cup game. The defender also appeared for the U20’s England side in a 6-1 thrashing of Romania at St. George’s Park last September.

Fleetwood Town are 20th in League One. Stephen Crainey’s side lost their last league game 3-0 at home to Shrewsbury. Their next game comes against Doncaster Rovers on January 8.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth find themselves currently top of the Championship table. Scott Parker’s side are three points clear of second place Blackburn Rovers and four points clear of the playoff places.

They have won their last two league games, most recently beating Cardiff City 3-0.

The Verdict

This is a good signing for Bournemouth’s future.

The defender is clearly very highly rated if he’s being sought after by a number of Premier League clubs and has played at underage level for England. 

It’s also good news for Bournemouth that they have attracted a player who is being linked with Premier League teams. 

This is quite the coup for the Cherries and is a sign that the club is seen as a good club for young players to get game time with.