Eddie Howe understands Max Gradel's frustration over a lack of game time and says Cherries will speak to the winger about his future in the summer.

Ivorian Gradel has been restricted to nine Premier League appearances this season, all of them as a substitute, and recently told the Daily Echo he was "at an age where I can't sit on the bench".

Indeed, the 29-year-old has played only 109 minutes of top-flight football this term – and just 16 minutes since he returned from January's Africa Cup of Nations.

Howe told the Daily Echo: "When you have a squad of 22 or 23 players, you can do the maths. You will have players who aren’t playing. They are paid to play, their job is to play, so it is difficult for them.

"It is about controlling those emotions and there will always be reasons why you are not playing.

"You have to understand what they are, then go onto the training ground to work on those and make yourself better.

"That is how we try to work with the players: we are honest in our communication with them, then put them to work to try to improve those areas.

"Max has been brilliant, he really has. His attitude has not changed. He is still a very enthusiastic and popular member of the squad. He has a great attitude to his work and we will sit down in the summer and have a talk."

Howe paid French club Saint-Etienne £7million to sign Gradel following Cherries' promotion to the Premier League in 2015.

The player had a hole blown in his first campaign with the club, however, when he tore his cruciate ligament on just his third start, against former club Leicester.

He returned to the side after a six-month lay-off to make a further eight starts and scored in a precious 3-2 victory over Swansea.

And Howe insists he has not lost any faith in Gradel, regardless of the player's limited opportunities. The manager's words are borne out by the fact he introduced the ex-Leeds man late in Cherries' draw at Manchester United and again when his team was pursuing an equaliser on their visit to Liverpool.

Howe and Gradel's paths first crossed a decade ago, when the player spent the majority of the 2007/08 campaign on loan at Dean Court, while Howe was on manager Kevin Bond's coaching staff.

"I trust Max," said Howe. "We have a long history together. In those matches when we needed him he was ready. He came on in the Liverpool game and had an impact, which was great to see.

"The only reason I would involve him is because I believe he is good enough and his attitude is spot on. It is nice to be able to have those moments together, when he does come on the pitch.

"But he is competing with some very good players and our wingers have done very well. I have no problem with Max at all, we have a very good relationship."