Sean Dyche is doing some impressive work at Turf Moor as his Burnley side have cemented a place in the top half of the table, halfway through the season. The manager will be relatively happy with the performances of his side this season and he will look to build on this start to compete for a place in Europe, come the end of the season.
This might see the manager dive into the transfer market for additions this January transfer window and one player he has already signed, on loan, is Tottenham Hotspur’s Georges-Kevin Nkoudou.
Burnley Announce Nkoudou:
The Clarets were reportedly interested in his signature even before the transfer window was officially open and it is understood that a conversation with Sean Dyche was enough for Nkoudou to swap teams for the rest of the season.
The 22-year old, who joined Spurs in a £9.4m deal has failed to establish himself in the first team under Mauricio Pochettino and will play at Turf Moor on loan, looking to help the Clarets in the business end of the campaign.
What Will Nkoudou Bring to Burnley?
Having made a name for himself at the Nantes academy, the youngster had a productive spell at Marseille, where he notched up five goals in 28 Ligue 1 appearances, playing as a teenager. However, he managed just 23 appearances across all competitions in England, since the start of the previous season and is now in search of game time, to continue his development.
A versatile attacker, who can play on either wing, Nkoudou is a gifted dribbler with decent pace to burn. He is a hard man to mark when in full flow while his crossing and trickery make him a dangerous player in the final third. He loves to beat full-backs to get in behind the backline of the opponents and is smart with his movements, on and off the ball.
At just 22, he is still improving as a player and the pressure of performing for one of the biggest clubs in the country has surely deterred his chances in the English top flight. However, he has immense potential and could be a game changer for Burnley.
Where Does He Fit In?
The Clarets have stuck to a 4-4-1-1 formation for most games this season and are not too well stacked in the wide areas. Johann Berg Gudmundsson has been a regular on the right flank in the midfield while Robbie Brady remains the first choice for Dyche on the other flank. Scott Arfield has been the only other player used in this role and Nkoudou might not have to wait too long to get a sniff of first-team action.
Robbie Brady is currently nursing a knee injury, which is expected to put him out of action till the end of the season while Arfield is also doubtful for Burnley’s clash against Crystal Palace at the weekend. So it does not come as a surprise that the club’s first acquisition this month has been a winger.
Nkoudou has all the attributes to make him a success under Sean Dyche but do you think he was the right option for them?
