Why Burnley must go all out to sign Abdoulaye Toure in January
Burnley were in talks to sign Nantes’ defensive midfielder Abdoulaye Toure in the summer transfer window, according to a report from the Sun. However, a deal never materialised and Toure has remained at Nantes.
Toure, 24, has been with Nantes all his career and enjoyed a superb breakthrough campaign in 2017/18, winning the club’s Player of the Year award. He was a major force in Ligue 1 as Nantes finished ninth last term. The 6ft 2in midfielder played 38 games for Nantes last season, scoring once.
However, things haven’t started well for Toure this season as he has already been sent off once. He has played just three times and though the midfielder has looked out of depth this campaign, Burnley must make a move for Toure in January.
After a fantastic Premier League campaign last term around which saw Burnley finish seventh and earn a Europa League qualification spot, Sean Dyche’s men have failed to hit the ground running this season.
Burnley were eliminated from the Europa League in the qualifying stages by Greek giants Olympiacos and their performances haven’t been up to the standards in the 2018/19 season.
Although the Clarets registered a big win over Bournemouth at Turf Moor last weekend, Dyche would need a couple of fresh additions in January in order to beat the drop. That being said, a player of Toure’s quality would be excellent for Burnley.
Burnley lack a solid midfielder who is adept at breaking attacks and also dictate terms. The absence of a strong holding midfielder has left Burnley’s backline exposed this campaign. In that case, Toure would be the perfect option to add solidity to Burnley’s midfield. And considering Toure’s class and quality, he will be able to fill the void.
Toure is an astute passer blessed with great vision. He has an eye for the goal and can start attacks from deeper positions. But being a defensive midfielder, the 24-year-old excels in breaking up the play with strong tackling and clever reading of the game.
He can a bit clumsy at times but at 6ft 2in, he is a real handful in the middle of the park and also poses a serious threat from set-pieces.
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At 24, Toure has still a lot to learn but he has time on his side to become a top player for the club. Under Sean Dyche, he could have a great competitive environment to develop, both as a player and as a person. So without any second thoughts, Dyche must go all out to sign Toure in January.