Eddie Howe says letting Harry Arter go to Cardiff from Bournemouth was 'difficult'
Friday 10 August 2018 10:43, UK
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe admits he "reluctantly" let Harry Arter go to Cardiff on a season-long loan.
Arter made the switch on Transfer Deadline Day after Cardiff were granted an extension until 7pm to complete the signing after submitting a deal sheet to the Premier League.
Watford were also interested but the player decided to join Neil Warnock at Cardiff - and it was a decision Howe did not make lightly.
He said: "It was very difficult. I think Harry's journey epitomises that of the team and the club where Harry came to the club from non-league and working his way up through the leagues, he has done it in such an impressive way.
"Tremendous desire, to achieve, to want to win, he has shown all those qualities that the team have and I can't speak highly enough of him.
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"The difficulty is he desperately wanted to play - to give him that guarantee of playing opportunities was difficult for me.
"He didn't play great towards the back end of last season and we just felt we needed to keep him playing and enjoying his football - I think that's key for him. So we reluctantly agreed to let him go."
Arter joined Bournemouth in 2010 from Woking and went onto make 232 appearances, scoring 29 times with the midfielder gaining two promotions.
Howe says signing the Republic of Ireland international eight years ago was one of the "best bit of business" he has conducted as a manager.
"I think he has to be right up there," Howe added. "We never envisaged when we paid that money, although as I said many times it seemed like a lot of money to us then, that it would be such good business.
"We saw a talented player but we didn't quite know he would have all the attributes that he had and I think the biggest one would be that desire to win and want to improve you could see that every day.
"I have loved working with him every minute and it will be strange seeing him play for someone else but I wish him well."
Bournemouth take on Cardiff on Saturday for their Premier League opener but Arter will be in ineligible to play against his parent club.
