Eddie Howe dismisses Chelsea transfer interest in Bournemouth’s in-form striker Callum Wilson

Wilson has nine goals in 19 appearances for the club in all competitions

Callum Wilson was helpless as Chelsea beat Bournemouth (Getty Images)

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has issued a strong response to Chelsea's interest in striker Callum Wilson.

Cheslea were 1-0 winners when the sides met in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday night, with Eden Hazard coming off the bench and scoring the winning goal in the 84th minute.

Before the game, Chelsea assistant manager Gianfranco Zola admitted the London club were interested in signing the Bournemouth forward.

Wilson has nine goals in 19 appearances for the club in all competitions and scored on his England debut, a reward from Gareth Southgate for his early season form.

When asked if there was any way that Howe could see Bournemouth selling Wilson, he issued Chelsea a strong response. “Not from my perspective,” said the manager, who also brushed aside Zola’s pre-game talk. “I haven’t seen the comments.

“Callum is our player and he’s focused on us,” he added. “He gave everything for the team and we just focus on the next match.”

Lys Mousset, who is a reported target of Fulham, made a rare start and almost opened the scoring in the first-half with a well-hit effort from range that forced Kepa Arrizabalaga to tip the ball around the post with a good save.

Like Wilson, Howe is determined to keep the French forward on the south coast and is pleased with his professionalism. “It sounds like we’re going to be left with no strikers,” he joked on the idea of losing another forward in January. “It was his best performance for the club and technically he played well.”

Bournemouth were holding their own before Hazard and Pedro came on and turned the tie in Chelsea’s favour.

“He seems to have this habit of scoring against us,” said Howe on Hazard. “We had a little conversation before he came in, again he made the difference he’s got such good feet in tight areas and he can change the game.

“You always expect them to use their bench as we did. We believed at 0-0 we were more than capable of winning the match. We couldn’t get that one moment, so we are disappointed not to score.”