Two Replacements For Scott Arfield Who Burnley Can Target If He Leaves Them This Summer
Burnley wide man Scott Arfield is a surprise target for recently relegated Sunderland as per reports from the Chronicle. The Black Cats finished at the bottom of the Premier League table and will find themselves playing in the EFL Championship next season and are apparently looking to strengthen their squad to mount an immediate return to the top flight.
Arfield, 28, had a decent season with the Clarets as they maintained their Premier League status having been promoted last year with relative comfort. However, Sunderland see him as an ideal addition to the team, owing to his proven abilities in the Championship and his experience of achieving two promotions with Burnley in the recent past.
The seven time capped Canadian international made 31 league appearances for Sean Dyche’s side, finishing with just a goal and an assist. If a move to the Stadium of Light materialises in the summer, here are two replacements that Burnley can target to take his place:
Jota (Brentford)
The Brentford winger has been rumoured to be attracting interest from Burnley last month and if Arfield leaves in the summer, the Clarets should definitely intensify their pursuit of this player.
Having spent the first half of the last season away on loan at Eibar, Jota returned to join the Bees at the turn of the year and since his return, was one of the best players in the Championship. The 25-year old finished the season with 12 goals and 5 assists for Brentford having played just in the second part of the season, making for a very impressive return.
Jota’s ability to play equally well on either flank combined with his dribbling skills and penchant for scoring should make him an excellent addition to the Clarets’ ranks.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar)
The 23-year old Iranian international is another winger that has been on the radar of Burnley, along with several other Premier League clubs for a while now and could be the perfect replacement, or possibly an upgrade on Arfield.
Jahanbakhsh finished the season with a total of 12 goals and 8 assists from 38 appearances across all competitions, helping AZ Alkmaar to a sixth-placed finish in the Eredivisie. Since his transfer from NEC Nijmegen in the summer of 2015, the 23-year old has become a key member of the AZ team and looks like a great prospect for the future.
Able to play on both left and right wing, with pace to burn and excellent technical ability, along with his calmness and composure in front of goal and excellent work rate, Jahanbakhsh could add an alternate dimension to the Burnley attack and will certainly help them get more goals.