Can Danny Drinkwater help Bournemouth thrive in the Premier League?
The Daily Mail revealed that Bournemouth were after Chelsea star Danny Drinkwater as they looked to reinforce their side. The 28-year-old has struggled since his £35m move to the Blues in the 2017 summer window, with him only making five starts in the Premier League.
To make things even worse, Danny Drinkwater has struggled to make any impact under Maurizio Sarri, with the former Napoli boss clearly revealing what he thinks about the midfielder by allowing him to play only twice so far. The former Leicester City star was desperate for a move to revive his career and at 28 years of age, Danny Drinkwater is still in his prime and thus, a great target for Bournemouth.
Cherries manager Eddie Howe is great at helping stars rediscover their best, with Callum Wilson, Ryan Fraser and even Steve Cook all flourishing under his tutelage.
For the two-time Premier League winner, however, the move would have been another chance to show Maurizio Sarri what he is missing out on. A classy midfielder on his day, Danny Drinkwater is a tireless worker for his side and that combined with his defensive and offensive abilities would have made him a key star at the Vitality Stadium.
This move would have worked because the 28-year-old needed time to become match fit once again and would have flourished under Eddie Howe. Given Drinkwater’s ability to pick a pass and dictate the play, in all likelihood, the England international would have adjusted brilliantly to Eddie Howe’s style of play and tactics.
The 28-year-old is at his best in a two-man midfield and Howe’s preference is to play a 4-4-2 with two holding midfielders just in front of the defensive line. That’s Danny Drinkwater’s preferred position, and his presence combined with his composure on the ball would have been key for the Cherries going forward.
With Victor Moses having recently joined them, the 28-year-old might have opted to join his fellow Chelsea teammate there. So had Bournemouth made a move, things could have worked in their favour and it looks like they’ve missed out on a big chance to add some real quality to their squad.
