Burnley eager on re-signing “unbelievable” £20m star

The information everybody feared at Burnley, however in the end anticipated, has now been formally confirmed, with CJ Egan-Riley taking on a possibility at Ligue 1 giants Marseille after turning down a brand new Turf Moor deal.

This shall be a sizeable gap to fill on the tip of Scott Parker’s males, contemplating Egan-Riley is simply contemporary off a glittering Championship promotion season that noticed him gather a mammoth 26 clear sheets.

However, the Clarets have been right here earlier than and bounced again effectively, with each Ben Mee and James Tarkowski exiting the membership as soon as upon a time garnering this similar degree of dismay.

Subsequently, Burnley shall be hopeful they will plug Egan-Riley’s hole very quickly by touchdown an enough substitute.

Burnley eager to re-sign £20m defender

As per a brand new report from soccer journalist Alan Nixon, Burnley are eager to convey Taylor Harwood-Bellis again to Lancashire after his present employers, Southampton, crashed out of the Premier League final season.

It is acknowledged that the 23-year-old is raring to stay it out within the top-flight over heading right down to the Championship with the Saints, that means a second spell at Burnley might quickly be on the playing cards.

Nixon does reveal that West Ham United are additionally retaining tabs on the previous Manchester Metropolis youth starlet, however a deal would solely happen if a sale was made, owing to Harwood-Bellis’ reported price ticket of £20m.

Subsequently, the newly promoted outfit might quickly race to the entrance of the queue to land Harwood-Bellis again on a everlasting foundation, with the 6-foot-2 defender a really appropriate substitute for the now departed Egan-Riley.

Why Harwood-Bellis is even higher than Egan-Riley

While the 22-year-old is simply contemporary off an unbelievable marketing campaign within the coronary heart of the Clarets’ defence, the previous Burnley quantity six has solely collected one Premier League look throughout his profession to this point, that means he would possibly effectively battle with the calls for of a top-five league.

Quite the opposite, Harwood-Bellis is effectively versed with the challenges of the daunting Premier League now, with the Stockport-born colossus even successful himself a senior England call-up final season when battling away valiantly for basement facet Southampton.

It is clear from the desk above that Harwood-Bellis may be very comparable in strategy to Egan-Riley, with the defensive pairing each comfy performers with the ball at their toes, as a lot as they’re additionally adept at getting caught in when vital.

While it’s clearly spectacular to select up the numbers Egan-Riley managed on the top-end of the Championship, Parker will view his new goal as an improve for what he can provide within the league above, with Harwood-Bellis truly averaging extra correct passes per match caught in a relegation battle than his Marseille counterpart managed in a promotion race.

He was even labelled as “unbelievable” final season by former boss Pep Guardiola for the progress he had made away from the Etihad, with a Three Lions call-up additional proof that he belongs within the large time.

On the flip facet, away from his standout showings final season, Egan-Riley has solely ever been uncovered to a high division absolutely on mortgage with Hibernian, with simply that one paltry Premier League look subsequent to his identify. Harwood-Bellis, regardless of solely being one yr older, boasts a hefty 34 and counting, away from his 113 outings within the taxing Championship.

Additional hailed as a “warrior” by journalist Josh Bunting when shining shiny beforehand at Turf Moor, the composed, but dominant defender might effectively be a fair higher determine for Burnley to have on the again than Egan-Riley, particularly as they transition again to the daunting actuality of Premier League life.