Burnley’s £35k-p/w ‘Pressing Monster’ Could Replace Barnes

Burnley followers should get used to the unusual sight of seeing membership legend Ashley Barnes in a Norwich Metropolis shirt subsequent season after it was confirmed that the striker had joined the Canaries on a two-year deal following his Turf Moor exit.

The 33-year-old scored 55 goals in 293 appearances for Burnley throughout a nine-year spell, which included seven objectives within the Championship as Vincent Kompany’s aspect cruised to the title within the second tier.

Regardless of his age, Barnes was a constant starter for Kompany and can want changing if the Clarets are going to get pleasure from a profitable return to the Premier League, together with his physicality in assault a staple of how Burnley have arrange for almost a decade.

Whereas the Belgian supervisor will little doubt have his eyes on the switch market forward of the 2023/24 marketing campaign, he might have already got a ready-made alternative for Barnes in forgotten man, Wout Weghorst.

Might Weghorst characteristic once more for Burnley subsequent season?

The Netherlands worldwide joined Burnley in January 2022 in a bid to maintain the Clarets within the Premier League however struggled to have the required affect, managing simply two objectives in 20 Premier League appearances as his new aspect succumbed to relegation.

Eager to keep away from a season within the Championship, the 30-year-old was despatched out on mortgage to Besiktas in Turkey for the primary half of this season and significantly caught the attention, notching eight objectives in 16 appearances within the Tremendous Lig.

He additionally impressed on the World Cup, scoring twice late on within the memorable quarter-final sport in opposition to Argentina earlier than ultimately taking place on penalties, which attracted the eye of Dutch compatriot and Manchester United supervisor Erik ten Hag, who moved swiftly to signal him on mortgage in January.

Whereas this was an unprecedented change on the time, and he has struggled for objectives within the Premier League once more, he has received over followers together with his work price and total performances, with content material creator Mark Goldbridge dubbing him a “pressing monster.”

Nonetheless, latest experiences have suggested that United will not signal him completely this summer season, which means that he might discover himself again at Burnley for pre-season, the place he could possibly be given an opportunity to impress Kompany forward of the brand new Premier League marketing campaign.

At 6 foot 6, Weghorst might definitely carry out the same function to Barnes as a goal man and whereas Kompany has moved to extra of a possession model of play, the £35k-per-week Dutchman could possibly be an awesome participant to carry on late on to supply one thing completely different.

His earlier goalscoring document with Wolfsburg was very spectacular, as he hit double figures in three consecutive campaigns, and if he’s given a second likelihood to impress at Burnley, he might simply be the perfect alternative for Barnes with the Clarets subsequent season.