Exclusive: Harry Arter set to reject move to Cardiff despite Bournemouth accepting offer

Bournemouth have given Harry Arter the green light to move to Cardiff City, but Yahoo Sport understand the Republic of Ireland international is not keen to link up with the Premier League new-boys.

Watford are also in the mix to sign Arter, but they have failed to meet the asking price on the financial package required to strike a deal, with the possibility of the player staying at Bournemouth until January at least now increasing.

Arter signed a new contract at Bournemouth last summer making him one of the highest earners at the club, but he fell out of favour with manager Eddie Howe and did not play for the first team in the second half of last season.

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After striving to prove his worth once again during the pre-season programme, Arter was frustrated by Bournemouth’s decision to sign Colombia international Jefferson Lerma, further reducing his hopes of regular first team football.

“Playing football is my only goal this year and while I have worked hard to get to the Premier League, being at a club where I am not playing is not something I am interested in doing,” said Arter last week.

“I’m doing everything I can to get back into the Bournemouth team, but if the manager comes to me in the next few days and says I will not be part of his plans this season, then we will look at it.

“The manager and I may need to have that conversation before next Thursday, but I hope he has seen the best of me in the pre-season games. I have done all I can to get back into his thoughts for the first game the season.

“I feel in a lot better shape mentally and physically than I did a year ago. Maybe in the past I didn’t deal with disappointment too well, but I realise now that football is my everything and I want to make the best of what is a short career. I don’t want to be wasting my time by not playing.”

While Cardiff are offering an attractive package to Arter, we understand the player and Bournemouth are content for him to remain at the south coast club and battle for a first team place if he rejects the chance to link up with Neil Warnock.