David Brooks is shining in the Premier League for Bournemouth, a year after Everton were told of his qualities.
Bournemouth certainly raised eyebrows when they paid £11.5 million to sign a 20-year-old midfielder who had only ever started nine league games in his career, according to Sky Sports.
But the Cherries’ scouts got this one spot on. In the opening weeks of his Premier League life, former Sheffield United starlet David Brooks has looked the real deal.
The Welsh international has turned heads with his vision and balance in Eddie Howe’s midfield and scored his first ever Bournemouth goal on Monday night, curling a wonderful first-time strike in off the bar to set them on their way to a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace.
Suddenly, £11.5 million looks like a bargain. So perhaps Everton should have listened to their academy scout, Jamie Hoyland, when he lauded the then little-known Blades youngster in June 2017.
“I’ve seen Sheffield United’s Under-23s quite a lot. He’s a good player,” Hoyland told Sheffield Live of Brooks after he was named the best player in England’s victorious 2017 Toulon Tournament campaign.
“He drifts, he can get on the ball, he’s got great balance, he goes past people and he can pick a pass. I think (Sheffield United manager) Chris (Wilder) will have a great player on his hands.”
Change ‘Chris Wilder’ for ‘Eddie Howe’ and Hoyland’s prediction looks pretty much on the money.
Brooks looks to have the potential to be one of the most gifted young midfielders anywhere in English football and, should he fulfil his massive potential, Everton cannot claim they weren’t warned.
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