AFC Bournemouth head coach Scott Parker says Mark Travers has “great potential” and is tasking him to realise it in the Premier League.
Travers was rewarded for a stellar campaign in the Championship last season, the affable Irishman penning a new five-year contract in June.
Voted supporters’ player of the year, he also won the divisional golden glove after keeping no fewer than 20 clean sheets in 45 league appearances.
At 19 years and 351 days, Travers became the 15th youngest goalkeeper to appear in the Premier League when he made his Cherries debut in a 1-0 win against Tottenham in May 2019.
He made two further appearances in the top flight before Parker installed him as Cherries’ number one ahead of his first season in charge, with Travers starring as the club won promotion.
The Republic of Ireland international, who turned 23 in May, earned a number of man-of-the-match awards after making a string of top-drawer saves throughout a memorable 2021/22 campaign.
Parker told afcb.co.uk: “Mark was pivotal for us last season. He was outstanding throughout the season and is someone that we feel has great potential and showed that.
“I still put him in that ‘potential’ bracket because he is still very young. The big challenge for Travs next season is the next step and the Premier League.
“I know he flirted with it a little before but he hasn’t done it consistently at that level. Like a lot of the players, I believe he has the potential to do that.”
Parker also discussed the club’s decision to loan Gavin Kilkenny to Stoke City, the midfielder also penning a contract extension before he headed to the Potteries.
“We just felt it was best for Gav,” said Parker. “He was pivotal for us at the start of the season and then probably didn’t play as much at the back-end due to player form and players coming back.
“We felt it would be best for his development and for us as a football club for him to go on loan and experience another season, playing games and playing in a different environment.
“I think he will be a better player for that rather than staying with us and maybe being on the fringes of things.”
Kilkenny joined Stoke on their pre-season training camp in Cork and featured in their 2-0 win over Cork City on Saturday. The Potters continue their preparations with games against Accrington Stanley on Wednesday and Fleetwood Town next Saturday.
