PREM: Bournemouth v Cardiff preview

Bournemouth v Cardiff preview

Harry Arter is ineligible to face his parent club after completing a season-long loan move from Bournemouth to Cardiff City on deadline day.

Arter will watch from the stands at the Vitality Stadium this weekend following his move on Thursday, and the midfielder is the only absentee for the Bluebirds with Neil Warnock able to select from a fully fit squad.

Warnock's Cardiff will be looking to hit the ground running in their return to the top flight, five years on from their only previous Premier League season.

 

Their fellow new boys have splashed the cash, with Wolves breaking their transfer record through the reported £18m signing of Adama Traore from Middlesbrough and Fulham becoming the first newly-promoted Premier League club to spend over £100m.

Veteran boss Warnock has signed six players this summer, but said ahead of Saturday's first game at Bournemouth: "I think we've spent about £25m net.

"We're not throwing money away or doing things we can't sustain. We've got players on loan so if things don't go right it's not going to bankrupt the club after 12 months.

"But at the same time the players have got something to prove and last year we gave most teams a run."

 

Record signing Jefferson Lerma is not ready to make his Bournemouth debut in Saturday's Premier League opener against Cardiff.

Boss Eddie Howe expects the Colombia midfielder to need some time to work towards match fitness. Nathan Ake is back in contention after overcoming the toe injury which forced him off during the win over Marseille last weekend.

 

Junior Stanislas could be sidelined for a month with a knee injury, Kyle Taylor is out with a muscle problem and new recruit Diego Rico is suspended.

Arter is the only player unavailable (ineligible) for Cardiff. Alex Smithies, Josh Murphy, Greg Cunningham, Victor Camarasa and Bobby Reid are all in contention to make their Bluebirds debuts.