Bournemouth want Newcastle United, QPR, and Watford target Steve Cook to stay at the club until the end of the season but won't stand in the way of his departure, according to journalist Kris Temple.

The 30-year-old centre-back has been an outstanding servant to the club – spending nearly a decade at the club and amassing 387 appearances as he's helped them climb from League One to the Premier League.

With the Cherries pushing to get back to the top flight under Scott Parker, Cook has fallen out of favour at the Vitality Stadium and featured just three times in the Championship this term.

The club captain is out of contract in the summer and Temple has reported that the South Coast club are not currently offering him a new deal but they're keen for him to stay until the end of the season.

However, it is understood that they will not stand in his way if he wanted to leave the club amid interest from other clubs.

The Sun has revealed that former Cherries boss Eddie Howe is keen on reuniting with Cook at Newcastle while Football Insider has named the R's and Watford as two other teams in pursuit.

The Verdict

This update is good news for QPR, Newcastle, Watford, and any of the other clubs chasing Cook ahead of the January window.

It seems the 30-year-old will be allowed to leave the club next month and, if reports are to be believed, he will not be short of suitors.

Cook has been a phenomenal player for Bournemouth over the years but he doesn't seem to have much of a part in Parker's plans and the prospect of a more significant role away from the Vitality Stadium is likely to be tempting for him.

You feel Newcastle and Watford could be a little more ambitious given they're Premier League clubs but the defender could prove an excellent signing for the R's –bolstering their defensive options and adding the presence of a player with promotion experience.