CHERRIES head coach Andoni Iraola is looking forward to welcoming David Brooks back to Vitality Stadium in the summer as an “even better player” after his loan spell at Southampton.

Brooks has dropped down into the Championship with Saints in a bid for more gametime after finding opportunities at Cherries limited this term.

However, the temporary switch involves no provision for the deal to be made permanent, with Iraola planning to have the Welsh international involved next season.

Cherries only acquiesced to the loan move at Brooks’ request, with the club reluctant to let the 26-year-old go.

But Iraola is looking on the bright side, believing a stint in the second tier to be the perfect opportunity for Brooks to gain match fitness and come back sharper than ever.

Discussing the move, Iraola commented: “It was not a movement that we started.

“We’ve used Brooks more like a sub, in the second half than probably from the start.

“He thinks right now he needs a good run of starts to arrive to his best level.

“It's a player that I rate very high. I think he's a very, very good player and I hope he does well.

“I'm sure he's gonna do well because the last games he's played for us, he has been really good and we hope he finishes very well the season and he comes back in pre-season an even better player.

“We have to listen to the players, what they think, how they see themselves.

“And it's a matter that I cannot tell him ‘you are going to start every game for me’ is very difficult, especially in this position.

“No, from the start of the season, I think even with Sini (Luis Sinisterra), he was doing very well and he didn't start a game for, I think, three months or something like this.

“It’s difficult decisions for everyone.

“But I think is what he wanted and I wish him all the best and I hope he does very well.”