Cook’s comeback has Liverpool and Chelsea on alert

Liverpool and Chelsea are reportedly monitoring Lewis Cook’s comeback from injury with a view to making a potential move for the Bournemouth midfielder. Cook will now be firmly on the radar of both Liverpool and Chelsea if he can prove his fitness and recapture his best form this season, according to the Daily Mail.
The 22-year-old made his long-awaited return to action for Bournemouth in September almost ten months after suffering a knee ligament injury late last year.
The former Leeds United and England Under-21 star was in fine form before his injury and being hailed as a possible long-term solution in midfield for Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.
Lewis was even handed his debut in a pre-World Cup friendly against Italy but ultimately didn’t make Southgate’s final selection of 23 for the finals in Russia.
Liverpool will no doubt have all sort of midfielders on their list of potential signings for 2020 and Cook probably comes under the sub-heading of ‘potential James Milner replacement’.
Milner has been a superb free agent signing by the Reds but, at 33, he may not be able to sustain his level for much longer.
His current deal expires at the end of the season and the versatile Yorkshireman revealed in the summer he was awaiting guidance from the club regarding their intention, with contract talks reported to have started last month.
Another interesting angle to Liverpool’s reported interest in Cook is the number of transfers the Reds have completed with Bournemouth over the last few years although all have gone in the opposite direction.
Dominic Solanke and Nathanial Clyne joined the Cherries in January, while Harry Wilson is currently strutting his stuff at the Vitality Stadium on loan.
And back in 2016, Liverpool raised £25m in transfer funds for the sales of Brad Smith and Jordan Ibe to Bournemouth, with some suggesting the volume of deals is down to a close friendship between Liverpool’s Michael Edwards and Cherries boss Eddie Howe.