Wolves To Rival West Ham United For This Burnley Defender: What Will He Bring To The Molineux? | OneFootball

The Telegraph has recently reported that Wolverhampton Wanderers are set to rival West Ham United for Burnley defender James Tarkowski this summer. It is understood that both Wolves and the Hammers are keen on recruiting the English centre-back in this off-season (via The Telegraph).

Tarkowski’s Solid Campaign At Turf Moor

Tarkowski continued to flourish at the centre of Sean Dyche’s defence last season as he produced some commanding performances to help the Clarets avoid relegation from the Premier League. The English defensive ace participated in 39 matches for the Lancashire club in the previous campaign, finding the back of the net once in multiple competitions.

More importantly, the 28-year-old did well to average 1.8 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 4.4 clearances and 0.6 shots per 90 minutes in the English top-flight last season. However, he needs to be more careful when distributing the ball from the back based on his pass success rate of 70.1% in league football (stats via whoscored).

Tarkowski has established himself as a reliable centre-half in English football, so he will be a good addition for Wolves if they can arrange a move to bring him to the Molineux Stadium during this summer transfer window.

What Will The English Defender Bring To Wolves?

Tarkowski can use his powerful 1.85m frame to outmuscle the opposition and win his fair share of aerial duels at the back. He can command his penalty box with authority and can time his challenges well to earn the ball back for his team.

The English talent can sense the danger quickly and make a few crucial clearances inside his half. However, he needs to work on improving his passing if he wants to suit Wolves’ playing style in the coming seasons.

Tarkowski has proven his worth in Premier League in the recent past, so he won’t have any trouble settling into life at the Molineux if Bruno Lage can find a way to land him before the start of the new season. The Burnley defender will bolster Wolves’ defensive options considerably and could go on to form a solid defensive partnership with Conor Coady and Willy Boly at the West Midlands over the next few years.

We can even expect Tarkowski to bring a lot of bite and steel to Lage’s defensive department that might help Wolves challenge for a European place in the next Premier League campaign. Hence, Lage should consider stepping up his pursuit to sign the Clarets powerhouse this summer.