IRELAND legend Kevin Kilbane insisted no midfielder in the Premier League had performed better than Harry Arter this season and backed the Cherries midfielder to establish himself as a key player for the Boys in Green.

Signed from Woking in 2010 for a paltry £4,000, Arter has become one of boss Eddie Howe's most trusted lieutenants after developing into a hugely impressive component in the Cherries midfield.

One of two non-defenders in the squad to have played every minute in the top flight this season, the 26-year-old gave a tireless, all-action display as Cherries held Premier League title hopefuls Tottenham to a 0-0 draw on Saturday.

Kilbane, the third-highest capped Irishman with 110 appearances, was present at Vitality Stadium to witness Sidcup-born Arter star against Spurs and he said the Cherries linchpin had been one of the Premier League's top performers this term.

Asked how Arter matched up to his top-flight peers before the game, Kilbane told the Daily Echo: "This season, he is as good as anything.

"Looking at the performance he put in against Everton when he was man of the match, I think it highlighted what a good player he is.

"He's been doing that since his League One days and that's the case with a lot of Bournemouth players – they have stepped up to the next level and proved they can play.

"The next level up is international football and although a lot of the players you play against may not be of Premier League quality, I think it's very different.

"The league in Ireland has not been the greatest traditionally and everyone is transfixed on players going over to play for Ireland, and I think it puts a lot of pressure on players when they go over.

"Over time, you can go one way or another. You can struggle under the pressure, or you can embrace it.

"I'm convinced with where Harry Arter has come from, how he's stepped up and got better and better, that he will be able to handle any pressure which comes his way when he starts playing regular international football."

Arter made his international debut for Ireland against England in June 2015 but missed out on Euro 2016 due to injury and is yet to feature in a competitive game for Martin O'Neill's side.

The former non-league ace could be in line to feature in next month's World Cup qualifier in Austria, however, with ex-Everton winger Kilbane admitting he is excited about Arter's international future.

Kilbane added: "We don't have an abundance of players who play at the top level and we certainly don't have an abundance of players who have been playing at the level Harry Arter has over the past year.

"He's one player we're all excited about from an Irish point of view. He's had a bad run with injuries and I'm convinced if he had been fit in the summer, he would have started at the Euros. I think he'd have been a real success for us out there.

"He's someone I've looked at for a long time now with positivity. I'm convinced Harry will establish himself over the next three or four years and go on to have a successful international career."