“Ranked within the top percentile” – Burnley move to beat Championship clubs to attacker: The verdict | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict’ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Burnley are reportedly closing in on the signing of Southampton winger Nathan Tella.

Mike McGrath of The Telegraph reported yesterday that the Clarets are on course to beat out other Championship clubs to sign Tella while The Burnley Express has now claimed he is set to have a medical ahead of a move.

But would he be a good signing? And do they need him?

Our FLW writers share their thoughts…

Charlie Gregory

Burnley doing a deal to sign Nathan Tella would be good business because again, it’s another player for them can be good in the present and the future too. He looks a talent and is the right kind of signing any EFL club should be making.

Minus the player having little experience away from Southampton and in the EFL, he has featured in over 40 games for the Saints and he wouldn’t play that many fixtures if he didn’t have a bit of potential as a midfielder. Considering that he has also ranked within the top percentile in the big five leagues in his position for pressures and interceptions, Burnley would be getting a very solid player.

He has the ability to stop opposition attacks and can be a really reliable player further forward on the field for the Clarets too. Even with the current Burnley squad having a lot of options, Tella would be another good player to add to the team.

If Vincent Kompany can get a deal done then, it would be another shrewd move by the Burnley boss.

Simmey Hannifin-Donaldson

This certainly has the potential to be a decent addition for Burnley.

As impressive as they have been in their opening games, they have lacked in the final third on the pitch, so it makes sense that Vincent Kompany is targeting further additions in this area.

Whether Tella is the solution remains to be seen, but from what we have seen, he is another quality addition for the Clarets on the wings after the club signed Benson last week.

It will be interesting to see how he is integrated into the side, and if it means a slight tweak to system we have seen deployed by Vincent Kompany so far this season

Ned Holmes

With Dwight McNeil and Maxwel Cornet both leaving, signing more attacking reinforcements is a smart move from Burnley.

Dara Costelloe has looked a bright prospect but the youngster remains raw and the jury is still out on Manuel Benson after joining in the summer.

Vincent Kompany has strengthened the backline and midfield significantly but replacing McNeil and Cornet on the flanks is important.

Tella helps them do that and the Championship interest the Clarets are set to beat out shows just how highly regarded he is.

The 22-year-old featured 14 times in the Premier League for Southampton last season but the drop down to the second tier could be just what he needs to have that first big season at senior level – having produced some good numbers at youth level.