EDDIE Howe could be set to offer Marc Pugh a Turf Moor return.

The Bacup-born winger came through Burnley’s youth ranks but was released after midfielder Chris McCann and former striker Kyle Lafferty were picked for professional contracts ahead of him.

But Howe, who is known to admire the 24-year-old, is believed to have had him watched in Bournemouth’s last two games with a view to making a move once the transfer window re-opens in January.

Development squad/reserve team coach Jason Blake is understood to have been monitoring ex-Bury wide man Pugh in the Cherries’ 1-1 draw at Tranmere on October 1, while Howe was at Dean Court himself on Saturday to watch the 1-1 draw with Rochdale.

The former Bournemouth boss has already been back to his old club to sign Marvin Bartley and Danny Ings since taking charge of Burnley in January, and the possibility of Pugh following in their footsteps and returning to his native East Lancashire cannot be ruled out.

The left winger is well on the road to reaching last season’s 13-goal haul having scored six in 15 games.

He was signed by Howe at Bournemouth in June 2010 after scoring 13 goals in 40 league games, and he was tipped to be on the former defender’s wanted list when he took charge of the Clarets in January.

Howe instead returned for Bartley, after making Charlie Austin his first signing from Swindon in the new year.

But Howe has never lost interest in Pugh, who is contracted to the Cherries until the summer of 2013.

He would not be put off by being well-stocked in wide areas - with Ross Wallace, Junior Stanislas and Keith Treacy, all vying to start, and Zavon Hines and Alex MacDonald available as back-up - if he was given the go-ahead to sign him.