Burnley defender James Tarkowski in action (Getty Images)
According to a report by The Telegraph (Subscription Required) [h/t The Independent], Wolves and West Ham United are considering a move for Burnley defender, James Tarkowski, in the summer transfer window. The Englishman is entering the final 12 months of his contract at Turf Moor.
As per The Mail (h/t The Independent), West Ham have opted not to pursue the centre-back which would come as a boost for Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, Premier League side Leicester City are also named as potential suitors. Here, we see why Wolves under the management of Bruno Lage would be wise to get a deal across the line for the Clarets defender.
Bruno Lage could bring in a new style of play to Wolves. The Portuguese boss has been appointed as the new boss at the Molineux after Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure. Lage, in his last season at SL Benfica, fielded a formation with four defenders at the back. Santo, on the other hand, played a set-up with three centre-backs.
While that means Wolves could start with one less centre-back in their starting XI this season, it doesn’t mean that their depth is enough for the transition. Let us see the names on their roster currently. Club captain Conor Coady, Romain Saiss, Willy Boly, and Max Kilman are their options in that position.
For starters, Coady, their skipper, is linked with a move away from the club. Everton, according to SkyBet (h/t Brighton and Hove Independent), are firm favourites to land a deal for him in the summer. Football Insider (h/t Liverpool Echo) even claim that Coady is ‘included in talks’ with Rafael Benitez before a potential Everton bid in the summer.
Boly and Saiss have had a bunch of appearances in the league under Santo, but they will be 31 and 32 respectively by the time the next season concludes. As for Saiss, he only has a single year left on his contract as well.
The 28-year-old has spent all his professional career in England, making 345 senior senior appearances, with 159 of those coming in the Premier League. And at his age, there is surely more football left in him, which Wolves would benefit from.
Last year, the sum being quoted for a potential transfer for Tarkowski was somewhere above £30million. But now, with just one year left on his contract, there is hardly a better time for Wolves to make an approach. If Tarkowski doesn’t renew his deal, Burnley could lose him on a free transfer as he can discuss terms with foreign teams in January.
That situation could leave Burnley desperate. After all, it’s better to lose a player for a decent sum rather than for nothing. Wolves can potentially get him for a fee that is lower than the one quoted for him last year. Signing a sturdy defender like Tarkowski would provide assurance in case any first-team defender leaves.
Even if they don’t leave, Tarkowski would add quality and depth to a Wolves side who have seemingly lost their way recently. For a team that wants European places, strengthen the squad is important, with defence certainly a big part of a team. And Tarkowski would be a great addition to Lage’s squad.
