JAIDON Anthony played down claims that his absence from the starting XI at Cherries is due to his contract situation – sharing: “It’s football.”

Starlet Anthony burst into the first-team picture at the Vitality Stadium last campaign, making 45 appearances as Cherries earnt promotion back to the Premier League.

With his current deal set to expire this summer, there has been speculation regarding his future, with the winger largely restricted to appearances off the bench.

Asked if his playing time was linked to ongoing talks regarding a new deal, Anthony told the Beautiful Game podcast: “Not really, I don’t really think about that to be honest.

“It’s football. Obviously we have a lot of players, and a lot of quality players.

“The manager has to pick a team at the end of the day, and someone is going to have to be on the bench.

“At the moment, I’m not starting, but I’m sure one day that will change and I’ll be helping the team as much as possible. That’s all I focus on.

“We’ve been speaking since last season, but I don’t really focus on it. Football, football, football. We’ll see what happens.”

In an hour long interview with the Beautiful Game podcast, Anthony discussed numerous things, including his possible international allegiances, Scott Parker's dismissal, and Gary O'Neil's stint as interim boss.

You can watch the entire video by visiting the Beautiful Game's YouTube channel.