Bournemouth captain Steve Cook is desperate to see reported Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur target David Brooks stay on the South Coast, telling the Echo the youngster is the “best player” in the Championship.
It’s no coincidence Jason Tindall’s Cherries hit their stride as soon as their Welsh wizard started to weave his magic.
Brooks has produced two goals and three assists in the last three Championship games with Bournemouth, who swept aside Nottingham Forest 2-0 on Tuesday to rise to second in the table.
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Liverpool, Spurs and former club Sheffield United are all big admirers of the Warrington-born Wales international and Brooks’ stellar form won’t have done his chances of a return to the Premier League any harm with the January window just weeks away (Daily Mail and the Star).
But captain Cook knows Bournemouth’s promotion hopes may rest on the sloping shoulders on their waif-like string-puller.
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For him, 1 February can’t come soon enough.
“He’s positive, very confident and he’s probably the best player in this league. We need to make the most of him. We need to keep him and go up to the Premier League. I’m sure then everyone will be happy,” Cook explains.
“We need to keep our best players to get out of this league.
“We’ve got an aim. Every player in the changing room has got that aim. We want to put everything right from last year – and that includes Brooksy.”
23-year-old Brooks played just 30 matches for Sheffield United before leaving for Bournemouth in a £10 million deal in 2018.
And Blades boss Chris Wilder, never one to hide his emotions, admitted to Yorkshire Live he would “love” to bring a genuine “match-winner” back to Bramall Lane.
In other news, 'Avoid Arsenal': Tim Sherwood sends warning to Tottenham after Europa League win