BOSS Scott Parker heaped praise on the recent form of Lewis Cook, insisting he “has got the capabilities of being a Premier League midfield player”.

Cook, 25, suffered another major injury setback a year ago, when he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee for the second time in his career.

After an eight-month absence, the midfielder made his return in November, with Parker regularly expressing his excitement and getting the former Leeds United man into his side.

However, Cook initially struggled to hit form, being moved around in the midfield with competition for places fierce as the likes of Philip Billing, Jefferson Lerma, Gavin Kilkenny, Emiliano Marcondes and Ben Pearson all eyed match minutes themselves.

But, after a two-game absence due to a minor knock, combined with Lerma being sent off in victory over Birmingham City in January, Cook began to excel at the heart of Cherries’ midfield.

Playing in the deeper position of Cherries’ trio, he has produced some of his best football since moving to the south coast back in 2016, consistently standing out as one of the team’s top performers.

Discussing Cook’s displays on the pitch since returning from injury, Parker told the Daily Echo: “He’s done really well. You often find when players have been out for so long, they come back and there’s probably a real up spike and they do really well and then they quickly have a dip because that’s just the nature of long-term injuries.

“You probably see that a little bit in Lew, when he came back.

“I think in the last four or five games he’s been outstanding really. Been a real driver, shown his quality and I think he’s an all-round midfield player.

“I still see loads and loads of improvement. I still see facets of his game which need improving, definitely.

“But certainly I see someone who is taking all information on board and executing that. He’s becoming that all-rounder of a midfielder, which I’d like him to be really.”

Cook made 29 Premier League appearances for Cherries in the 2017-18 campaign, which earned him international recognition.

The York-born ace made his senior Three Lions debut in a friendly against Italy at Wembley in March 2018 and was named on the standby list for the World Cup.

But after two serious knee injuries and relegation to the Championship, no second cap has been forthcoming.

Asked if he thinks returning to the England fold one day could be a realistic goal for Cook, Parker said: “Maybe. It’s a big ask. That is a big ask.

“But certainly Lewis Cook has got the capabilities of being a Premier League midfield player.

“That’s the league you’re going to need to be in and you’re going to need to be doing it week in, week out in that league.

“Hopefully that’s here, with us, next season. So I wouldn’t say it’s not a possibility.

“He’s been in and around it, he was with the under-20s that won the World Cup, has got good pedigree but he needs keep improving really and keep playing as long as he can and obviously playing in the Premier League.”