According to a new report, Burnley are already trying to acquire a new defender but will face competition from a number of Premier League rivals.
What is the most recent Burnley transfer news?
Following their title-winning Championship campaign, the Clarets enjoyed another incredibly active transfer window, bringing in 15 new players to Vincent Kompany’s squad.
However, they have had a difficult start to the season, with defeats to Manchester City, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United leaving them in the bottom three and winless in the Premier League.
Kompany may need time to get the most out of his existing squad, but with the January transfer window quickly approaching, it appears that the club is already looking at prospective signings for the second half of the season.
Burnley are one of five Premier League clubs considering a transfer for Shakhtar Donetsk striker Mykola Matviyenko, according to TEAMtalk, with the player’s representation investigating potential options.
Crystal Palace, Everton, Sheffield United, and West Ham United are also interested in the defender.
Who is Mykola Matviyenko?
Matviyenko is primarily a centre-back but can also play as a left-back or right-back and appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €20m Transfermarkt valuation.
The 27-year-old has progressed through the Shakhtar Donetsk academy and has gone on to make 175 senior appearances for the club, contributing to an impressive 22 goals.
The left-footed Ukraine international has impressed over the past 12 months, as per FBref, ranking highly for passes completed, clearances and passes blocked.
Journalist Andrew Todos recently claimed that Matviyenko is capable of operating in either a back four or a back three, describing him as a “composed and experienced centre-back”.
“Matviyenko is a composed and experienced centre-back, who comes across as very assured, especially when playing alongside younger teammates. As he started his career as a full-back, he’s got more pace than an average centre-back and this aids him quite a lot in recovery challenges.
“He rarely goes in for wild tackles that might result in bookings or penalties and one of his main strengths is blocking crosses or goalbound shots. He’s also very good at playing balls over the top, playing out from the back, and he’s versatile.
“In my opinion, he can be world-class when he plays in a formation with three defenders. If he plays in a back four, he should play alongside a tall defender who can help him. He is good as a centre-back but the best matches of his career were when he was in a back three and he played next to wing-backs.”
Kompany presently has six centre-back options in the form of Jordan Beyer, Hjalmar Ekdal, Ameen Al-Dakhil, Dare O’Shea, CJ Egan-Riley, and Hannes Delcroix, therefore Matviyenko may not be required.
However, if Burnley sees the player as an upgrade at the back after surrendering 13 goals in their first five games, they may try to make a move, making this one to watch ahead of 2024.
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