David Brooks could be another prodigy to turn into quality under Howe
AFC Bournemouth, a club that had gone into administration just 7 years ago and survived its existential battle, is now an established Premier League side. For a club of such small size to achieve this feat is a miracle in itself and the hero of this unprecedented rise is Eddie Howe.
Howe took over the club when it was languishing in the relegation zone of League Two and then brought it to the top-tier of English football in just a few years. Howe didn’t have millions at his disposal to turn around the fortunes of the club overnight. He has done this over the years by scouting young talents and nurturing them into great players for the club.
It seems like Howe has struck gold again with a young David Brooks. After a 12th-place finish in the 2017-18 season, Eddie Howe needed new quality signings in order to keep Bournemouth’s Premier League status alive.
Among a host of summer arrivals and departures, one name that caught the eye of the Bournemouth fans was David Brooks. He is a 20-year-old attacking midfielder who can play on either wing or just behind the striker.
The youngster started his football career at the Manchester City academy before leaving for Sheffield United in 2015. He helped the club gain promotion in the 2015/16 season and in the following season, he could start only 9 games in the Championship due to injuries.
Yet, he managed to score 3 goals and provide 6 assists. This led to Bournemouth snapping him up for a fee of £10million this summer.
Sometimes, for players coming from the championship, Premier League can prove to be a step too far but this isn’t the case with Brooks. After impressing in the pre-season, Brooks was handed his debut against Cardiff on the opening day of the season by Eddie Howe. He has since started all 3 matches for the Cherries and has played for 209 minutes.
Playing as a right-winger, he has had 8 shots so far and a pass completion rate of 72%. He has tried to set up goalscoring chances for his teammates as well, which can be seen from his stats of 3 crosses and 3 key passes.
Even though Howe’s men try to play attacking football, sometimes, they have to sit back and defend for their lives. Brooks so far has proved that he is a hard-working player as well, who never shies away from his defensive duties. He has won 14 duels so far and successfully completed 4 tackles too.
Read More: Bournemouth have done a fantastic piece of business for £25m – a masterstroke by Howe
With the long-term injury to Junior Stanislas and the sale of Benik Afobe, the Welshman will provide some much-needed depth to Bournemouth’s attack. He is a quality player, who, under Howe’s leadership, will grow into a matured footballer