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A solid bargain – Here’s why Burnley signing this experienced 33-year-old for free makes absolute sense

Why Gary Cahill would be a smart addition to Sean Dyche’s Burnley

According to a report from The Sun, Burnley are interested in signing former Chelsea defender Gary Cahill on a free transfer.

The 33-year-old is a free agent after his contract with Chelsea expired at the end of last season and is yet to find a new club for next season. He spent seven years at Chelsea but managed to play just 22 minutes of Premier League football last season.

Burnley are now ready to hand Gary Cahill with another crack in the Premier League, as Dyche looks to add the defender’s experience to his ranks for next season. But the Clarets aren’t the only club interested in the Englishman, the likes of Fulham and Galatasaray are also keen to acquire his signature.

But Burnley being a Premier League outfit hold the upper hand and have made the most concerted effort to get their man, the report add.

The Clarets endured a disappointing last season after their 2017/18 heroics, which saw them qualify for Europe. They survived relegation last time but Sean Dyche will be keen to improve and challenge for a place in the top half of the table.

Burnley are considered to be a defensive side, with Dyche having built a well-oiled and structured rearguard that has proven very difficult for Premier League teams to breach. But his side were uncharacteristically poor defensively as they leaked 68 goals last season. In fact, only three teams conceded more goals than the Lancashire-based outfit during 2018/19.

That’s why shoring up the defence is an absolute must and the Clarets would do a good job by snapping up Gary Cahill.

Cahill left Stamford Bridge at the end of last season after an illustrious career that included a Champions League triumph in 2012. He still has plenty left to offer even at the age of 33 and the fact that no one has been willing to take a punt on him is nothing short of baffling.

The former England international is an experienced centre-back, who can not only challenge for a place in the Burnley XI but make that spot his own.

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The veteran defender is excellent at reading the game and defending the spaces while being solid when it comes to accuracy at passes out from the back.

In addition, he is also physically strong on/off the ball and could provide some much-needed competition for Ben Mee, James Tarkowski and Ben Gibson at the heart of Dyche’s defence.

Verdict

Cahill is a serial winner and having a vocal leader and an experienced professional like him in the Burnley dressing room could make a lot of difference.

The Clarets would aim to climb up the table and the addition of the 33-year-old defender would certainly help them in their next season’s ambitions.