Premier League club Burnley saw another transfer bid rejected for Sunderland winger Jack Clarke this week.
Burnley have completed the signing of another wide player after seeing multiple bids rejected for Sunderland’s Jack Clarke.
Danish wideman Jacob Bruun Larsen has joined The Clarets on a season-long loan deal from German club Hoffenheim,
where he has spent the last four years – which included a loan spell at Anderlecht.
Since their promotion to the Premier League Burnley have signed former Southampton winger Nathan Redmond on a free
transfer, while spending a seven-figure fee to Espanyol for 18-year-old wideman Luca Koleosho.
The Clarets have also made attempts to re-sign Nathan Tella from Southampton, following his impressive loan spell at Turf Moor last season.
Burnley’s pursuit of Clarke has been well documented this summer, with it emerging this week the Premier League club have
seen a fourth bid, in excess of £10 million, rejected for the 22-year-old.
Clarke also has three years left on his Sunderland contract after joining the club on a permanent transfer from Tottenham
last summer, while it’s believed Spurs negotiated a significant sell-on clause in the deal.
When asked about Clarke’s situation and Burnley’s latest offer earlier this week, Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray said: “If
I’m sitting here being honest, I don’t think it’s been anywhere near a level.
“Every player has their price and so it would be silly for me to sit here and say any player is not for sale, because everyone is
at the right price.
“But I’d have to say that it feels to me as if Burnley have been moving away and are looking at other options, choices. As far
as I can see they were testing the water and as far as I’m concerned, the right decision has been made.
Hopefully he has more goals and assists in his boots for Sunderland this season.”
Sunderland are preparing to face La Liga side Real Mallorca this weekend in their penultimate friendly match of pre-season.
The Black Cats will then face National League side Hartlepool on Tuesday, providing opportunities for players who are short
of game time.
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Burnley: Nathan Tella would be Amdouni’s ideal partner
Nathan Tella lit up Turf Moor last season and may be on his way back to Burnley in a move that could help get the most out
of Zeki Amdouni.
Burnley clearly mean business on their return to the Premier League, having already made seven signings since earning
promotion from the Championship.
Who have Burnley signed?
The Clarets were quick to turn Jordan Beyer and Michael Obafemi’s loan deals into permanent signings, while Dara O’Shea,
Zeki Amdouni, James Trafford, Nathan Redmond and Luca Koleosho have all joined this month.
Burnley do not appear to be finished there, though, as Vincent Kompany is said to be after another forward player, and that
could see the Lancashire outfit turn to one of their promotion heroes.
Nathan Tella is back at Southampton after scoring 17 goals and assisting five more in 39 league appearances for Burnley last
season, and the Clarets understandably want him to return to Turf Moor permanently.
According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Kompany’s side have been unsuccessful with a £9m offer, but they are expected to
return with an improved bid for the 24-year-old.
Is Nathan Tella a good player?
Burnley supporters need no telling of Tella’s quality, as the Englishman’s 22 direct goal involvements last season were the
most of any player at the club. In fact, the next-best performer was Josh Brownhill with ‘only’ 15.
It is therefore obvious why Kompany wants a player of that quality in his ranks, and it could well be a deal that helps get the
most out of new signing Amdouni.
The Switzerland international has effectively been signed as Tella’s replacement, but there is no reason why the two cannot
play together if Burnley can reach an agreement with Southampton.
Amdouni finished joint-top scorer in the Europa Conference League last season with seven goals for Basel, level with
Fiorentina’s Arthur Cabral.
Whereas Tella – on wages of £13k-a-week at St Mary’s, according to Capology – was used most often out on the right last
, as per WhoScored, Amdouni is more of an out-and-out centre-forward.
The 22-year-old is an attacker who is able to fulfil his defensive duties, ranked as he is in the top 2% of forwards for tackles
per 90 minutes (1.54) across the Swiss Super League and the eight leagues most similar to it, as per FBref.
Amdouni is also in the top 10% for interceptions per 90 (0.41) and the best 1% for blocks (1.95), further highlighting his
ability to get stuck in and lead from the top.
As talented as Tella is, those are not areas he particularly thrives in. Using the same metrics across the Championship and
the eight leagues most similar to it, the Arsenal academy product is in the bottom 18% for tackles (0.83) and the bottom 30%
for interceptions (0.36).
That suggests the pair can complement each other, further backed up by the fact that Tella is more than happy to play a
support role in attack – he averaged 2.24 crosses per 90 minutes last season, which was near enough on a par with attacking
full-back Ian Maatsen (2.30).
Tella is not quite yet the finished product – Kompany himself described him as a “raw diamond” earlier this year – but he has
shown what he is capable of in a Burnley shirt and would no doubt help to get the most out of Amdouni & Co. should he
return.
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