The ins and outs of the summer Transfer Window will be discussed up and down the country in the coming days, so why not get a head start with an in depth analysis of Burnley FC’s relatively successful summer.
Wide range of players coming in will boost Clarets depth.
Chris Wood, £15million (club record fee), Leeds United.
Leeds United were keen to hold on to their New Zealand International, but £15million was too much for the Whites to reject. Wood is already making an impact on his new team, scoring the crucial equaliser on his debut for the club away at Tottenham just last week.
Scoring 44 goals for Leeds since his move to the club in 2015, Wood will be looking the kind of form he did in the Championship and have a better time in the Premier League than he did last time with Leicester.
Depth needed
Jack Cork, £10million, Swansea City.
The Swans brought in quite a replacement for Cork by bringing in Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches. Cork left the Swans to return to Burnley, who he left in 2010, for a rumoured £10million at the start of the window. Following a full pre season with the team, Cork has slipped straight in to the Burnley midfield and has impressed during the start to the season.
Nahki Wells, £5million, Huddersfield Town.
Bermuda Striker Wells was snapped up on Deadline Day, joining Sean Dyche’s front line as a different option. Wells scored 10 goals as the Terriers achieved promotion to the Premier League last season but is currently injured following a pre season operation on his ankle. Wells will most likely be fit following the International break, although it could be a while before he can make an impact on the first team.
Jon Walters, £2.5 million. Phil Bardsley, undisclosed, both Stoke City.
Walters and Bardsley add depth to the Clarets team in multiple positions, Walters able to cover either wide position or the striker role with Bardsley able to play anywhere across the back four, preferring to play as a right sided full back.
Walters has been involved in the early games, playing a significant role off of the bench in the latter part of games. Bardsley however is yet to be involved for the first team due to a lack of match fitness.
Saga's ended
Charlie Taylor, free transfer, Leeds United. Adam Legzdins, undisclosed, Birmingham City.
The end to the mini saga that was Charlie Taylor’s contract dispute with the Whites was ended when the left back agreed a deal to join the Clarets. At the moment, he is behind Stephen Ward for the left back position, but will get his time to play further down the line, making his one appearance so far in the Carabao Cup win over Blackburn Rovers.
Legzdins was primarily bought in to cover Tom Heaton, as the England International and Club Captain will be hard to displace.
Big names departed Turf Moor during the window.
Michael Keane, £30million, Everton.
Keane was linked with all the big teams following an outstanding season, a season which saw him earn his first England call up. £30million is a good return on the centre back, and that type of money is hard to refuse especially with the reinvestment opportunities that Burnley had at their hands.
Andre Gray, £18million, Watford.
Gray was one of Burnley’s best players last term, scoring the club’s first ever Premier League hat trick on his way to nine league goals, second only to Sam Vokes. Selling to one of their rivals will cause some issues between fans, but again the money returned has allowed the Clarets to splash the cash on Wood, who fans agree is a great replacement.
Other outs include George Boyd joining Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer, Tendayi Darikwa joined Nottingham Forest on an undisclosed fee, as well as loan deals for promising young talents such as Luke Hendrie, Chris Long, Tom Anderson and George Green.
We will have to wait to see whether the signings improve Burnley, and whether the players departing will be missed.