Bournemouth have been handed a significant selection boost with Scott Parker confirming that Arnaut Danjuma has returned to training.

The Cherries kick off the new Championship season as they host West Bromwich Albion at the Vitality Stadium on Friday night, a match which will surely be regarded as a promotion six-pointer despite it being the first game of the season.

Danjuma is a player with a big question mark hanging over his head this summer with reports from The Sun suggesting that Premier League clubs such as West Ham United and Southampton are both keen on his services.

But while Parker couldn't make any promises regarding the forward's future, he did emphasise that the reason for his absence during pre-season was a troublesome foot injury.

Delivering an update on Danjuma's fitness, Parker told the Bournemouth Echo: "Danjuma is back training. He’s come back from the slight issue he’s had with his foot.

"He’s been back on the training field doing light work and then over the last couple of days has been back in with the team. So, positive on that sense.

"Hopefully there isn’t a real reaction and we move forward.

"What was keeping Arnie out of the squad for the pre-season games was down to injury. The reason he wasn’t around was because he had a slight problem with his foot."

Quizzed on the speculation over his future, Parker added: "Well, I don’t know about that. I can’t commit to that.

"I think it’s been well-documented, while we’re in a transfer window, one of your best players, you understand you’re vulnerable in that. We’ve rejected a bid from another club. I don’t know whether that other club will come back, I don’t know whether other clubs are around it. So I can’t be committal on that.

"What I do know is that I’m going to take it as at this present moment in time, Arnie is our player. I want to do the best by Arnie, get him fit, get him up to speed and while he’s here and while he’s in our building, we will be using him."

The verdict

This is a big boost for Scott Parker and Bournemouth.

Arnaut Danjuma scored 17 goals and created eight more for the Cherries and surely supporters will be hoping that he can stick around for the upcoming season.

Given the interest in his services, this seems to be increasingly unlikely.

That said, even if Danjuma does move on the hope will surely be that Bournemouth can get some decent performances out of him as his future at the club is decided.