Why Burnley signing Adam Lallana on a free transfer would be a sensible move
According to the Mirror, Burnley have joined the race to sign Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana, who will be a free agent in the summer, with his contract on the verge of expiry.
Lallana is a product of the Southampton youth academy. The midfielder made his first-team debut for the Saints in 2006 and went on to make 261 appearances, scoring 59 goals and assisting 48. Liverpool signed the English midfielder in the summer of 2014 in a £25m deal.
Since joining the Reds, Lallana has featured 178 times, scoring and assisting 22 goals apiece. The 32-year-old has also made 34 appearances for the England national team, finding the back of the net on three occasions.
Burnley, meanwhile, have recovered well from a shaky start to the 2019/20 campaign. At the time of season suspension, Sean Dyche’s side were 10th in the Premier League standings, just four points below Wolves in sixth place.
Burnley need reinforcements in midfield
While Dyche has done a solid job so far, Burnley need to strengthen their squad in order to better their performances in the coming campaign. At the same time, they also need to be smart in their spending as finances have been hit hard due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Hence, making a move for Lallana, who will be available on a free transfer, will be a smart move by the Clarets.
Burnley lack enough depth in the central midfield department. Jack Cork and Ashley Westwood are the first-choice duo in the middle for the Clarets, with Jeff Hendrick and Josh Brownhill the backup options. However, the former has been used on the flank or as an auxiliary striker in recent seasons. In addition, he will be out of contract next month.
Hence adding another body to the central midfield contingent in the form of Lallana would serve Burnley well. The 32-year-old has struggled with injuries over the past year but has still impressed when on the field. In 22 matches in all competitions this season, Lallana has produced a return of one goal and two assists.
With close to 200 Premier League appearances under his belt, the Englishman has plenty of experience at the top level. A Champions League winner, his addition would improve the quality of the Burnley squad vastly.
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Verdict
Burnley need a new central midfielder in the summer, more so considering that Jeff Hendrick’s contract is up at the end of the season. Hence, signing Lallana would add further depth and quality to their midfield department. What makes him an even more enticing prospect is that he will not cost a penny in transfer fees.
