MIDFIELDER Shaun MacDonald has hinted his future could lie away from Cherries if he does not secure the regular game time he craves.

The 28-year-old missed out on Wales's Euro 2016 squad after playing less than half an hour of Premier League football in Cherries' inaugural top-flight campaign.

He was brought on as a substitute at Manchester City and Swansea in October and November, respectively, but did not feature again until nearly five months later when he came off the bench in the 2-1 win at Aston Villa.

The former Yeovil Town loanee has been forced to watch his country's first European Championship campaign from the sidelines – with Chris Coleman's side topping Group B and setting up a high-stakes last-16 clash with Northern Ireland today (5pm).

MacDonald signed a new one-year deal in February which tied him to Cherries until at least next summer.

But now the long-serving star, who has been at Dean Court since 2011, admits he may have to look elsewhere in order to fulfil his international ambitions.

MacDonald told the Daily Echo: "I was involved in the majority of the games leading up to the squad for Euro 2016 being named but at the same time it's football, things happen and you move on.

"The circumstances of not playing every week in club football probably affected that slightly. I didn't make the squad but I am still part of the team and am still supporting the lads.

"Playing every week would help me, club-wise. Hopefully, that can be at Bournemouth. If not, we may look at other options. We will see what happens.

"It's just a case of getting the summer sorted and then maybe having a proper chat once I'm back.

"I'm just enjoying my time off at the moment. I'm trying to switch off and what's meant to be is meant to be when I start back."

MacDonald has four full international caps having made his debut in October 2010, coming on as a late substitute in a 4-1 defeat away to Switzerland in a European Championship qualifier.

He did not get on the pitch for Wales again until March last year, when he replaced Aaron Ramsey in the closing stages of a 3-0 win in Israel, which sent Coleman's troops top of their Euro 2016 qualifying group.

MacDonald was again utilised as a late replacement for Ramsey in a 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifying win over Cyprus in September last year.

And he subsequently got half an hour under his belt when he came off the bench in the second half of the 1-0 friendly defeat away to Ukraine in March.

However, MacDonald, who earned 25 caps for the under-21s earlier in his career, failed to make the cut for Wales's first appearance at a major tournament in 58 years.

Wales's best performance at a major finals came when they reached the last eight of their one and only World Cup campaign in 1958.