Eddie Howe is sticking to his guns on Martin Dubravka by insisting he does NOT want to sell the Slovakia star.
With sources in Saudi Arabia suggesting it is a done deal for Dubravka, and the Saudi Pro League approving funds for the deal to go through, Howe stated that he wanted to give Dubravka a new deal rather than cash in on the star before the end of his contract but swung the spotlight on sporting director Paul Mitchell.
When asked if Dubravka was saying goodbye, Howe told Chronicle Live: "I have got nothing to add to that (him saying goodbye). With Martin, I have been preparing for this game.
"We have had a lot of games in succession so I have not spoken to anybody about that."
When asked if he could afford to lose the star, Howe said: "He is playing very well at the moment and certainly from my side I would not want to lose him at all."
The head coach was then pressed again on Dubravka and talk of an impending deal but said: "I know nothing. Genuinely. I have been head down into the game. I am sure I will speak to Paul at some stage."
And when asked if he would rather hand Dubravka a new deal, Howe added: "That would be my wish yes."
Reflecting on the performance overall, Howe said: "I think we rode our luck at times and I think Martin [Dubravka] played really well and made some really good saves."
