DAVID BROOKS has delivered a major boost to Bournemouth and Wales by returning to training.
The attacking Welsh star, 22, has missed the entire season due to an ankle injury sustained last July.

Brooks has undergone two operations to repair the ankle damage which he first suffered against Brentford in a pre-season friendly.

Now the Welshman, who scored seven goals in 33 appearances as he lit up the Premier League last season and attracted interest from Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, is closing in on a comeback.

Howe said last week: "He is building his fitness and his endurance levels. His ankle is feeling okay. I hope he can be integrated into training quite quickly from this point.

"He hasn't had any games as such, so there's still a little bit of work to do with him."

Bournemouth lie 18th in the table, level on points with West Ham and Watford but are in the drop zone due to their inferior goal difference.

Howe's men have nine games left to survive with matches against Crystal Palace and Wolves before the international break.

That may come too early for Brooks but the ex-Sheffield United midfielder, who cost £11.5million in the summer of 2018, will aim to have an impact in the run-in.

On the international front, Wales boss Giggs must weigh up whether to include Brooks when he names his squad next Wednesday for friendlies against Austria and USA this month.

Brooks, who has 12 caps and was named Wales Player of the Year last March, missed the second half of their successful Euro 2020 qualifying campaign but is highly thought of by the Manchester United legend.

And his return will lift Giggs and his squad following Joe Allen's Achilles injury last week which ruled the Stoke midfielder out of the finals this summer.