Wolves Opinion: Why the Wanderers should go all out for James Tarkowski
According to a report from The Times, Wolves have enquired about the Burnley centre-back, James Tarkowski, who is also on the radar of Leicester City.
The England international, 26, helped Burnley avoid relegation from the Premier League. He was a rock at the back for the Clarets and made 35 appearances in the 2018/19 campaign, scoring three goals.
James Tarkowski is under contract at Burnley until 2022 and manager Sean Dyche is reluctant to sell one of his prized assets this summer. Nevertheless, Wolves must do everything possible to beat their Midlands rivals Leicester City to the signing of the 26-year-old defender.
Wolves enjoyed a fantastic return to the Premier League, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side finishing seventh in the table. It means the Wanderers will have European football at the Molineux next season and that’s an incredible achievement.
Not only that, Nuno’s side have played exciting counter-attacking football and earned some excellent results against the ‘Big Six’. The investment last summer paid rich dividends and if the Midlands club are to do well in every competition next season, they need to have depth in the squad.
Wolves’ successful return to the Premier League was largely possible due to a strong back three which comprised of Conor Coady, Willy Boly and Ryan Bennett. They had established such a strong relationship between them that it made difficult for the opposition to score easily, especially at the Molineux.
However, an injury or suspension to either one of them could disrupt the system and force Nuno to use Romain Saiss or Leander Dendoncker in central defence. To avoid such circumstances next season, Nuno must prioritise adding depth to the squad and a player like James Tarkowski should be ideal.
Tarkowski has seen his stock consistently rise since moving from Brentford to Burnley in 2016, with him performing at a very high and consistent level. He is a proper old-fashioned centre-back who loves a battle or two with the centre-forwards. He is a physically strong player, which helps him win aerial duels on a regular basis. His reading of the game defensively has improved over time, which is a positive sign for any defender.
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The 26-year-old’s performances at Turf Moor over the last couple of seasons have been so impressive that he has already been called into Gareth Southgate’s England squad ahead of Wolves skipper, Conor Coady. Tarkowski’s addition will undoubtedly bolster Wolves’ ranks, whilst adding depth to the squad. He’ll also be a clear upgrade on Ryan Bennett, who looks to be the weakest of Nuno’s preferred back three.
Verdict
Wolves need new additions to help them break into the top six next season and Tarkowski can just be the man to do that.
