5 players looking to bounce back from injuries in 2019/20

#4 Lewis Cook

Could a healthy Lewis Cook help to solve England's midfield issues?

With all of the talk about England’s midfield shortcomings following their UEFA Nations League loss to the Netherlands last week, one man whose name was not mentioned in terms of being able to fill the hole was Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook.

That was hardly surprising given Cook has been on the shelf since December due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, but in reality, if he can come back to full fitness, he could well make an impact on the national team.

He was missed by Bournemouth following his injury, too. The captain of England’s victorious U20 World Cup side in 2017, Cook is an excellent midfielder capable of controlling a game with his smart passing range, and while the Cherries have some excellent attacking firepower in the form of players like David Brooks, Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson, the return of Cook will give them a far stronger spine.

Cook is expected to return for the start of the 2019/20 season and the likelihood is that – assuming he shows no lasting effects of his injury – he will be able to force himself right back into Bournemouth’s starting XI. If he can do that and pick up where he left off last season, then the chance of him adding to his solitary England cap too should increase greatly.