Atsu: Making friends is hard at Bournemouth

Having secured a season-long loan to Bournemouth, Chelsea winger Christian Atsu has revealed that he is enjoying life at his new club and is eyeing his first Premier League goal, but has admitted that making friends has not been an easy process.

The international’s stock fell last season during a tricky loan spell with Everton.

Despite being accompanied to Goodison Park by high hopes and great expectations, the wideman struggled to ignite and managed only five Premier League outings, of which one was a start.

However, a move to Bournemouth offers the chance of a fresh beginning, and the 23-year-old is clearly relishing the chance to restore his reputation on the south coast.

“Getting to a new club is not easy,” he began, in an interview with BBC Radio Solent.

“You have to work really hard and make new friends which is also difficult, but I am trying!

“I think with Bournemouth, the way I see how the players are, they’re really friendly and their coaches are also supportive so I think everything will be easy for me here.

“I can’t wait (for the new season) because last season wasn’t that good for me, but this season I am trying to work hard and get into the game, and to score my first Premier League goal.”

Having moved to Chelsea in 2013, fresh from Champions League action and a Portuguese title with FC Porto, Atsu was sent on loan to Vitesse Arnhem.

Having flopped at Everton, the Black Star—nicknamed the Ghanaian Messi—will be hoping to finally demonstrate his capabilities before the English public.

Bournemouth ought to be the perfect environment for him to showcase the skills that national team fans are so familiar with, and the first impressions are that he is on the brink of a much more successful campaign.