AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe revealed his decision to loan Marc Pugh to Hull City had been made with "a very heavy heart".
The Cherries’ long-serving winger yesterday joined the Championship promotion hopefuls on a temporary deal for the rest of the season.
Pugh, who was signed by Howe in 2010, is a popular figure with the Vitality Stadium faithful and has played a leading role in the club’s rise from League One to the Premier League.
In an interview with afcbTV, boss Howe said: "We did this deal for Marc and for no other reason.
"If we were to look at it selfishly, I think we would have kept him because he is an unbelievable guy to have around.
"Marc is a very positive person who acts the same professional way whether he is in or out of the team. He is a great squad player and someone who is all about the team.
"But we just felt it had been too long since Marc had played regularly and, because his attitude had been so good every day and he hadn’t let us down for a moment, we felt it was our duty to repay that in the only way we can for the best of his career.
"In my opinion, Marc is still good enough to perform at this level – it is just that the quality of players ahead of him have all performed at such a high level this season so it’s been with a very heavy heart that we made the decision to loan him out.”
Howe added: "It’s a great move for him. The opportunity for him to play every week at a big club who are pushing for the play-offs is perfect.
"I always found it very difficult leaving Marc out of teams and squads because he was so committed every day to what we deliver here.
"But, ultimately, this is the chance for him to enjoy his football and play regularly, which is what everyone wants."
