Medical expert names David Brooks return date after ‘fantastic’ Bournemouth news
Bournemouth star David Brooks could return between October and November after being given the all-clear from cancer.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Brooks, 24, has been away from football since he was diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin lymphoma in October last year.
But the Welsh winger received the news that he was cancer-free in May.
Bournemouth confirmed last Saturday (25 June) that Brooks reported for pre-season physical tests ahead of 2021-22.
Dinnery suggests that the 21-cap star will be eyeing a return to competitive action well in advance of the mid-winter World Cup in Qatar.
“The last time he played was about a year ago in September,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“The issue was identified when he was away on international duty. The club doctor then flagged up and he was sent away for tests.
“He has spent a signficant time away from the game. But we have seen Brooks suffer a significant setback in the past. In pre-season ahead of 2019-20 he had an injury that kept him out for several months.
“He is no stranger to spending a lot of time away. He therefore has that experience, mindset and understanding of what it takes to come back from a signficant setback.
“Thankfully, he has been given the all-clear and he is back with the group. The focus will now purely be on getting fit and ready. Obviously, given the time he has had off, that isn’t going to happen overnight.
“He will probably have that World Cup in Qatar in his crosshairs. In terms of a realistic return to domestic football, we could be looking at October or November. But there is a lot of hard work there.
“Now, it’s about flicking the switch and focusing on football again. Given everything else that has gone on before, his character and strength will keep him grounded.
“It will make him work even harder on setting out to do what he wants to do in football. What target is better to aim for than the World Cup? It would be a fantastic story.”
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