Why signing Scott Mckenna would be a great move by Burnley

According to Daily Mail, Burnley are among several clubs considering a move for Aberdeen centre-back Scott Mckenna.

McKenna, 23, rose through the ranks of Aberdeen’s youth system and was sent on loan to Ayr united in 2015 in order to gain experience. But this loan spell did not help him and was again on the move before finally settling at the Pittodrie Stadium in 2017.

Since then, he has been a regular for the Dons and has made over 100 appearances for Aberdeen. His performances have caught the eyes of several English clubs including Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Stoke City and QPR, according to the report.

Meanwhile, Sean Dyche’s men have been through difficult times this term, with just 7 wins in the league so far. After a decent start to the season, they have failed to match the high standards of the top-flight as they find themselves at 15^th place in the league.

With tougher games to come in the second half of the season, the Clarets have to find a solution to address their problems on the pitch. January window would be the right time for Dyche to hand-pick influential players who can make an instant impact for the club and help them to a respectable finish at the end of the season.

The forwards have managed to score 24 goals so far with Chris Wood (8) and Ashley Barnes (6) doing a meaningful job. But the same cannot be said of the defensive unit, which has leaked 34 goals in 21 games.

Despite experienced campaigners Ben Mee and James Tarkowski taking charge at the heart of the defence, the Clarets have been vulnerable.

And the manager has to make an assessment of his players before things get worse for them. The main area must be strengthened and that is where Scott McKenna can come in as a cover for their shaky defence.

The report suggests that Englishman Ben Gibson is attracting interest from Bundesliga and a move could be on the cards for him this month. Therefore, before Burnley let go of him, a perfect replacement must be named. In that case, McKenna would be the right choice.

The Scotland international has played 17 games so far and has been one of the first names in Derek McInnes’ squad. He has featured for the full 90 minutes in all but one game that he has played in.

Calm and composed under pressure or in possession, McKenna has transformed himself to become the epitome of a modern central defender. He has the ability to play more diagonal passes and has also shown his qualities while building the play from the back.

He would fit into Dyche’s team which has lacked a young and powerful presence in the heart of the defence.

Read more

• Why Burnley must plot a swoop for Crystal Palace’s James McCarthy
• Why Burnley should make a move for Stoke City’s Sam Clucas in January
• Why Josh Brownhill could add that X-Factor to Burnley’s midfield

Verdict

Burnley must need no stone unturned in their pursuit of the youngster, who is capable of taking huge strides in the Premier League. He would be the best backup for their old guards at the back.

And if they manage to lure him to Turf Moor at the earliest, they would be able to rescue themselves from further disaster.