BOURNEMOUTH'S Warrington-born winger David Brooks has joined Southampton on loan for the rest of the season.

The two south-coast clubs confirmed the switch last night, with the Wales international following fast on the heels of Cherries team-mate Joe Rothwell in moving to St Mary’s in the current window.

Brooks, 26, a former Birchwood Community High School pupil, was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021 but has since been given the all clear and returned to action for Bournemouth last March.

He has managed just two Premier League starts under Andoni Iraola this season and will now join Saints as they push for an immediate return to the Premier League.

“I’m really happy. With the past couple of years with my situation, just to kind of come here and try and get some game time, I’m really looking forward to it and can’t wait to get started,” Brooks told Southampton’s official website.

“That’s why I’ve made the decision to come away from Bournemouth. I think the game time was a little bit limited there at this present time.

“So I was very eager to get to a point where I wanted to be playing regular minutes and this opportunity came up and it was one that I couldn’t really turn down.”