PREMIER League rookie Lewis Cook could be tasked with answering Cherries’ midfield SOS in the wake of Jack Wilshere’s injury bombshell.

 

Wilshere’s loan spell at Vitality Stadium ended prematurely after it emerged he had broken his leg during Cherries’ 4-0 defeat at Tottenham on Saturday.

 

Scans this week confirmed the Arsenal and England midfielder had suffered a hairline fracture in his left fibula during a challenge with Harry Kane.

 

Wilshere will return to the Emirates to begin his rehab under the watchful eye of the Gunners medical staff, leaving Cook as a possible replacement.

 

The 20-year-old replaced Wilshere in the 56th minute at White Hart Lane and gave a good account of himself despite Cherries being put to the sword by Spurs.

 

A £7million summer signing from Leeds, Cook started Cherries’ Premier League opener against Manchester United – before waiting eight months for his next taste of top-flight action.

 

His cause was not helped when he suffered an ankle injury playing for England under-20s in October, which kept him sidelined for three months, before he returned in Cherries’ Hampshire Senior Cup win at Gosport Borough in January.

 

And although Cook conceded they had been eight "hard" months, he also said he owed a debt of gratitude to Cherries boss Eddie Howe for making him a better player.

 

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Echo following the Spurs defeat, Cook said: "It has been a hard time for me. The standard of the squad is so high though.

 

"We have so much strength in depth and everyone is capable of playing. I have just been trying to train as well as possible and waited for my chance.

 

"The manager helps me in training all the time. He tells me what he wants me to do and how I can improve.

 

"I am thankful to him for that and feel I have improved a lot. Hopefully, I can get the chance to demonstrate that in matches now."

 

Cook impressed Howe enough in an under-21 friendly against Sampdoria last month to be named among the substitutes for the Premier League clash with Swansea.

 

And he was also on the bench for subsequent matches against Liverpool and Chelsea before coming on with Cherries trailing 3-0 against a rampaging Spurs.

 

"It was very hard to find any positives given the final scoreline, but it was a good day for me," said Cook.

 

"I was just happy to be back on the pitch after a while out – and then having been in and out of squads.

 

"Tottenham are a great team. You don’t get any time on the ball and it is hard to come into a game as fast as that, but I thought I did alright.

 

"It was a step up from playing in the Hampshire Senior Cup at Gosport! But every game is good and I am just glad to be involved.

 

"I feel part of the squad and just have to be positive. I take the positives out of training every day, work as hard as I can and enjoy it – that is not going to change.

 

"We have another big game coming up against Middlesbrough on Saturday, so we will analyse what happened against Spurs and then move onto that one.

 

"If I get my chance to start, I get my chance. I will have to see what happens."