Burnley FC’s automatic promotion aspirations are hanging in the balance, with Sheffield United and Leeds United leading their rivals going into the final stretch of the season.
For many, the Whites appear to have all but guaranteed a top-two position, with back-to-back victories against Sunderland and the Blades, along with a more favourable run-in.
That leaves only the Clarets and Chris Wilder’s side, setting up an entertaining finish to the season as Scott Parker’s team attempts to cut the gap on their opponents.
Of course, league standing frequently influences the type of player you recruit, and a surprising news surfaced last week about prospective interest in striker Daniel Udoh.
The Nigerian attacker is now involved in a League One promotion race with Wycombe Wanderers, but has spent much of the season on the bench, with Richard Kone preferred.
Many have been startled by the Clarets’ interest, but surely they would only consider his signing if they did not make the Premier League next season.
Daniel Udoh signing should only be considered on one condition
As alluded to previously, Africa Foot are reporting that Burnley are keen on Udoh and according to their sources, the Clarets have offered an initial £850,000 for his services.
Wycombe are not believed to be taking this lightly and are set to stall any talks until the end of the season, when they hope to have secured Championship promotion.
Udoh could certainly play a role in this, but it’s hard to see how he is commanding a fee of close to £1 million at this stage. This year, he has started 19 of the Chairboys’ 33 games and has found the back of the net just six times in the league.
While he offers much more than just his goalscoring, with his driving runs and hold-up play superb for a player of his stature, the top end of the second tier may prove a step too far. This would only be furthered should they secure promotion to the Premier League, with Burnley likely to need someone with experience at a higher level.
This simply isn’t Udoh. He has spent the majority of his career in the EFL’s lower ranks and non-league structure, joining the Chairboys last summer following five seasons at Shrewsbury Town. His time at the Croud Meadow was not filled with goals, but if you questioned Salop fans about him, they’d quickly acknowledge he was a fantastic striker who gave his all for the club.
| Daniel Udoh Shrewsbury Town Record | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 181 |
| Goals | 38 |
| Assists | 16 |
| Minutes Per Contribution | 220 |
Nonetheless, League One appears to be his level, and Udoh’s age of 28, which goes against the Clarets’ policy of seeking younger players with potential sell-on value, makes this transaction even less likely.
Scott Parker will need a new striker at Burnley
Burnley has justifiably received attention for their strong defence, but they will need to recruit players up forward next season, regardless of which division they play in.
Leave a Reply