In a recent report, The Daily Mail mentioned that Burnley defender James Tarkowski remains on Leicester City‘s wish-list with just a few weeks left to run for them to complete a deal for him in this summer transfer window. It is understood that the Foxes have identified the English defender as an ideal replacement for Wes Morgan in this off-season (via The Daily Mail).
Tarkowski’s Tough Campaign In English Football
Tarkowski had a long and grueling season at Turf Moor recently but managed to help the Clarets avoid relegation from the Premier League. The Manchester-born defensive ace scored one goal in 39 matches for the Lancashire club in the previous campaign in multiple competitions.
The 28-year-old proved himself to be a key defender for Burnley as he averaged 1.8 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 4.4 clearances per game in the English top tier. However, he was sloppy when distributing the ball from the back after making only 70.1% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
Tarkowski has got less than 12 months left to run in his Burnley contract, so it makes sense for him to seek a move elsewhere in search of greener pastures in the coming seasons. Leicester could be a good destination for him as he could enjoy playing in Brendan Rodgers’ brand of football at the King Power Stadium.
Should The Foxes Launch A Move For The Clarets Centre-Back This Summer?
Tarkowski is a good no-nonsense defender who doesn’t take too many risks when putting his foot through the ball to clear the danger at the back. He can make some solid tackles to earn the ball back for his side and can utilize his powerful 1.85m frame to win a few headers in the air.
However, the English centre-half can be a bit untidy on the ball and lacks the pace to get back and defend when the opposition are looking to expose his weaknesses on the counter. Even then, Rodgers should think about launching a move to secure the services of the Burnley star as he will be a perfect successor to Wes Morgan who is in the last legs of his career.
Tarkowski will undoubtedly add more bite and steel to Rodgers’ defensive department and could help Leicester make another top-four push in the Premier League next season. Plus, the English centre-back could go on to form a solid defensive partnership with Caglar Soyuncu at the King Power in the coming seasons.
