Cherries star Matt Tubbs insists he is happy at Dean Court and wants to stay in Dorset – despite being at the centre of transfer talk.

Tubbs has been linked with a move away this summer after Cherries rejected a bid for the striker from Rotherham United last month.

Chairman Eddie Mitchell says he does not want to sell but Rotherham could consider renewing their interest as boss Steve Evans is looking to replace new Cherries recruit Lewis Grabban.

The arrivals of Grabban and Josh McQuoid have also led to suggestions that some of Cherries’ existing forwards could be set for an exit.

But record signing Tubbs, who joined Cherries from Crawley in a total package understood to be worth up to £800,000, says he does not want to leave.

The Verwood-raised frontman told the Daily Echo: “Bournemouth is my home-town club so I don’t really fancy travelling halfway up the country to be out of my comfort zone again.

“I am happy where I am. I am settled and have a couple of places down here, so there is absolutely no reason for me to move away at the moment.

“I was brought up here, all my friends and family are here and the south coast is probably the nicest place to live in the country. It doesn’t get much better than Bournemouth.

“Any new player that comes into a club always finds it hard to settle in straight away.

“You have got to try to put your feet under the table and work your way up. I have done that now and all the lads are fine and there is not one person I don’t get on with. They have accepted me into the group now.”

Discussing the interest from Rotherham, Tubbs added: “Steve Evans bought me when I was at Salisbury to go to Crawley so he is clearly fond of me.

“It was a bit of a shock when I got the call to say they had put in a bid for me but that is not for me to say because the club rejected it.”

Speaking after Rotherham’s bid had been rejected last month, Mitchell said the club did not want to sell Tubbs and insisted he would “turn out to be a really big favourite at the club”.

A prolific goalscorer at Crawley under the management of Evans, Tubbs was signed by Lee Bradbury.

He netted once in seven Cherries appearances before injury ruled him out of the latter stages of last season.

The 27-year-old will compete with Grabban, McQuoid, Wes Thomas, Steve Fletcher, Charlie Sheringham and Jayden Stockley for a starting place next term.