Football League World
·11 December 2024
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·11 December 2024
The Clarets have struck some smart deals in recent times
Many Burnley fans will be hoping their club have something lined up for them as the January transfer window draws near.
Despite a disappointing one-season stay in the Premier League last year, some of the work done behind the scenes to bring in new faces has produced great results.
Having turned some nice profits in recent windows, he was full of praise for the job done at Turf Moor.
Speaking to Football League World, Josh said: “In terms of our transfer recruitment, under Kompany it was amazing, we still have a few players from that, for example, Benson [Manuel] and [Josh] Cullen, who's played a massive part.
“[Luca] Koleosho as well. We bought him for like £4 million and he's now probably worth £15/£20 million.
“And I get a few players had nothing to do with [Scott] Parker but, as an example, [Wilson] Odobert we got him for £10 million and everyone kind of looked around and said, ‘Whoa hang on, why have we paid that much for a lad who’s only played like low-end first tier French football’. And then we’ve gone on and sold him for £25-30 million a year on.
“I still believe some of the talents we’ve brought in this year, as well, have worked quite well.”
The Clarets truly did pluck Odobert from nothing, and the €12 million (just under £10 million at current rates) paid for him will certainly have raised some eyebrows in Burnley circles.
Before arriving at Turf Moor, je had only been involved in PSG’s youth setup and spent a single season in senior football with Troyes, scoring four goals and providing two assists.
The fee, therefore, was a gamble, but the faith shown in the scouting department paid off, with Odobert registering three goals and three assists for a struggling Burnley side in the Premier League, prompting the £25 million move by Spurs, more than doubling what the Clarets had paid a year earlier.
That was a strong highlight, but few of Burnley’s transfers have felt like misses over the past seasons despite their failure to stay in the top tier.
Now competing in a division as competitive as the Championship, the marginal gains to be had in unearthing hidden gems and turning quick profits for reinvestment can be the difference between promotion and missing out, and those doing the business for Burnley certainly seem to know what they’re talking about.