Friday 25 May 2018 16:37, UK
Harry Arter has hinted his future could lie away from Bournemouth but has not ruled out staying with the Cherries next season.
The midfielder is on Republic of Ireland duty, for their friendlies with France and the USA, after not kicking a ball for his club since January, with a succession of injuries seeing him lose his place and then fall out of favour with manager Eddie Howe.
Arter has three years remaining on his contract at the Vitality Stadium and insists he would have no problem staying and fighting for his place next season.
However, with international boss Martin O'Neill saying he needs to be playing at club level to force his way into the Ireland team, the 28-year-old knows he may have a serious decision to make.
Arter said: "I felt at the end of the season was probably the best time for me and [Howe] to have an honest chat.
"The relationship has been very good and it still is at this point. He's someone I respect greatly - he gave me my opportunity back in football, and now in the Premier League, he's given me three good years there, so the respect will
always be there from myself to him and it's the same from him to me.
"He thanked me for my efforts this year, he thanked me for having a good attitude and being a good person around the changing room and we'll see what happens in the summer."
Arter joined Bournemouth from non-league Woking in June 2010 and has played a key role in the club's rise to becoming an established Premier League club.
As a result, finding himself out of the team has been difficult to take.
He said: "Every player when they come out of the team, they always feel a tad aggrieved, always feel like they shouldn't be the one who comes out.
"Initially that was the case for me, but as the season went on, I respected the manager's decision. I knew he didn't just wake up one morning and think, 'I don't like Harry any more'. I knew there was a football reason behind it in his head.
"The conversations were based on what I want to do in the future, what he wants from me in the future, which I took with complete honesty. I felt he was completely honest with me, I was honest with him and we'll see what happens. We'll see what the summer brings."
