After an incredible first half of the season, Burnley have nose-dived in the last few weeks. The Clarets have lost their last three Premier League games, the first time that’s happened this season, and run the risk of dropping to the lower half of the table if they don’t alter their bad run of results.
While the side were expected to drop down the table, Sean Dyche can still do something about the slide by adding a few fresh faces before the transfer window closes. In a bid to add more solidity to the backline, the club have reportedly made a 10 million pound bid for Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall. Reports from the Dailymail claim that the bid was rejected, so it’s up to the Clarets now whether they want to improve the bid or not.
Joe Worrall – fact file
Worrall made the grade from the Forest u18 side to the senior team in 2016 after an impressive loan spell at Dagenham & Redbridge. A teenager back then, Worrall had to wait till the 2016-17 season to get regular football and when he was given the game time, he grabbed it with both hands.
He made 21 appearances in his first full season at the club and has played in all but two games in the current Championship campaign. Although Forest have struggled to mount a challenge for the playoff spots, Worrall has put in impressive displays at the heart of the defence.
A long-term prospect for Burnley?
While Burnley’s rise up the table in the first half of the season earned the team and the manager many plaudits, the downside is that some of their players could leave for bigger and better teams. Dyche is no stranger to such a scenario and his astuteness in the market has helped the club grow, by replacing departed players with able ones.
James Tarkowski is one player who has been a revelation this window and we’d be lying if we say he won’t have bigger targets in his mind. He has reportedly been monitored by Arsenal and Chelsea who could make a move in the summer, so the Clarets need someone who can step up and replace the 25-year old.
Worrall a worthy target
Under the tutelage of Dyche, the 21-year old can improve and become a better defender. A strong centre-half who is known for his last-ditch blocking, Worrall has an impressive passing accuracy of 81.5% this season.
He has developed really well in the lower league, so perhaps he is ready to make the step up to the Premier League. Signing him in the ongoing transfer window will be a good move as it’ll give Dyche the time to slowly integrate him and possibly keep him in next season’s grand plans.
Stats via WhoScored