According to latest reports, Burnley have come forth with a £25m bid for West Brom duo, Craig Dawson and Jay Rodriguez. Sean Dyche tried to sign the latter at this time last year but could not agree to personal terms, allowing the Baggies to nab him from Southampton. Now the club with have to break their own transfer record to reunite with their former striker at Turf Moor. The Clarets are prepared to offer Dyche the financial backing needed to replicate their past season success and put forth a decent run in the Europa League campaign next season.
Burnley are coming off their best season in the English top-flight after finishing 7th in the Premier League and earning a shot at European football. They upstaged Everton and Leicester City to earn the deserved name tag – ‘best of the rest’. Dyche’s well-drilled defensive setup has worked wonders to keep the side in the win column despite only scoring a handful of goals.
Now he will need to sign the right attacking players to carry out his team’s offence in the following campaign. Rodriguez is a hard-working striker who checks all the required boxes to succeed at the Lancashire club in his second stint. He has developed into a top-pedigree talent, as evident from his individual displays for the Albion in the late stages of the 2017/18 campaign.
He stood out in the Baggies lineup by scoring 11 and furthering 2 assists in his 42 total appearances to help the team make a late run for top-flight survival. He scored the winner against Manchester United to keep Albion in the fight but unfortunately went down to the Championship despite the team’s refurbished efforts.
Now West Brom are forced to sell their most expensive assets to adjust to life in the English second division. Losing the Premier League status is sure to bring in a set of financial restraints and players who suddenly become unsettled at the club grounds.
Rodriguez was born in Burnley and was also one of the 7 passing academy graduates to be signed by then-manager Steve Cotterill to the senior team. A career blighted with injury and just one senior cap for England has motivated the 28-year-old to fight his way back into the Premier League scene.
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He was traded away by the Saints last summer for £12m and now is worth more due to the rising interest from other top-flight teams. Dyche could use the skill and pace of Rodriguez either on the flanks or in the shadow striker role, behind Chris Wood.
