WEST Ham's former Cherries manager Harry Redknapp has given AFC Bournemouth boss Mel Machin the go-ahead to sign loan target Stevland Angus.

And Redknapp has sounded out a warning to the young defender, who follows the route followed by England star Rio Ferdinand, by telling him: "If you don't make it with Bournemouth, you won't make it with West Ham".

Angus is likely to complete his move to Dean Court next week and is expected to initially sign on a month's loan with a view to possibly staying until the end of the season.

The 19-year-old, who has another 12 months left on his Hammers contract, has been training with Cherries for the past ten days and lined up in last week's pre-season friendlies against Southampton and West Ham.

Redknapp said: "I told Mel to have a look at Stevland to see what he thinks and, in my opinion, it will make a man of him coming to Bournemouth.

"Stevland came through the youth team at West Ham and he did ever so well in the side that won the FA Youth Cup when we beat Coventry 9-0 in the final last year.

"He's a lad who needs to get out and prove whether he's good enough to play league football now and this will be a good chance for him.

"It's up to Stevland whether he makes it, but if he doesn't make it with Bournemouth, he's definitely not going to be good enough to play for West Ham and I have told him that.

"I have also told him we will be keeping an eye on him while he is with Bournemouth and if he is not successful, he could have problems so he knows what is required of him.

"It's a big step up for him, but you just never know what will happen with these young kids."

Redknapp added: "I loaned Michael Carrick to Swindon last season and he did superbly and is now a regular member of my squad.

"In the past few seasons, Frank Lampard had a spell with Swansea and Rio Ferdinand came to Bournemouth and neither of them have looked back since."

A product of the Hammers' highly successful youth policy, Essex-born Angus made 16 appearances for Hammers' reserves in the Football Combination last season and was on the bench for the Premiership clash against Manchester United in December.

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