Di Canio recommends player to Slav
A source close to the club told us: “Paolo knows the player well having managed him at Swindon and recommended him strongly to the boss.”
Ritchie signed for Bournemouth at the beginning of 2013 on a three-and-a-half year deal for a reported £400,000 fee.
After leaving Swindon Ritchie said he was “heavy hearted” at moving on with Di Canio insisting the club sold him behind his back.
Less a month after the sale Paolo Di Canio had resigned as manager of League One side Swindon and cited the sale of Ritchie as one of the factors in his decision.
The same source also claimed Slaven became a big admirer of Callum Wilson when he scored a hat trick over West Ham in Bournemouth’s 4-3 win over the Hammers last August.
The Hammers admitted today they had made a bid for the pair following Cherries boss Eddie Howe’s angry outburst that the we had been out of order in doing so during his post match press conference after the defeat at Old Trafford last night (Tues).