BOSS Eddie Howe revealed injury-hit David Brooks was still yet to train with Cherries’ first team and admitted: “He’s still got a bit to go.”

The 22-year-old suffered ankle ligament damage during a pre-season friendly at Brentford back in July – an injury which has kept him out of all the Dorset club’s competitive fixtures this season.

Brooks was present to watch Cherries’ resounding 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Vitality Stadium on Saturday.

But Howe insisted the Warrington-born star still had some time to go until he was ready for top-flight action.

Asked for an update on the attacking midfielder, he said: “He is okay. He’s getting there.

“He has worked incredibly hard on his fitness. We still haven’t seen him train with us yet.

“Until he gets to that point, I’d say he’s still got a bit to go.”

Howe also said Brooks would not be involved in Wales’s crucial Euro 2020 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Hungary this month.