ASMIR Begovic and Adam Smith are among the Cherries players set to join pre-season training this week.

The pair, along with Diego Rico and Harry Arter were absent when the squad returned from their summer break last Monday.

But the Daily Echo understands all four are due to come back into the group this week.

Begovic spent the second half of last season on loan at AC Milan, with the Rossoneri's campaign not finishing until August 1, a week after Cherries.

But he is now due back at the training ground, to join fellow goalkeepers Mark Travers and Will Dennis.

Meanwhile, defenders Smith and Rico are also set to return to Jason Tindall's squad in the coming days.

The pair are now believed to both be back in the UK following holidays, but upon government advice are currently quarantining.

According to a report in Football Insider today, Burnley have approached Cherries in the hope of signing Smith.

Arter finished his season with the Championship play-off final whilst on loan at Fulham. He has today been called up to the Republic of Ireland squad for their Nations League games against Bulgaria and Finland, with Stephen Kenny's squad meeting up on Sunday.

He is set to return to Cherries for three days of training before heading off to meet up with the national squad.

Joshua King is also not currently in training at Cherries.

The striker is due to be named in the Norway squad for Nations League games against Austria and Northern Ireland next month.

As such, Cherries have agreed with the Norwegian FA it would be wise to allow King to remain training in Norway rather than taking flights to and from Oslo given the current climate regarding COVID-19.

He is due to return to the club in time for the start of the Championship season on September 12.