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| James Tarkowski of Burnley looks on during the Premier League match between Burnley and Leicester City at Turf Moor on March 01, 2022 in Burnley, England. James Tarkowski of Burnley looks on during the Premier League match between Burnley and Leicester City at Turf Moor on March 01, 2022 in Burnley, England. |
Burnley face an uncertain summer in the transfer market with their Premier League future hanging in the balance.
The Clarets are four points from safety with 11 games remaining ahead of their return to action against Man City on Saturday. Sean Dyche's side are fully focussed on the task at hand but a summer overhaul seems certain regardless of which division Burnley find themselves in.
Relegation could see interest in first team players - such as Nick Pope - while survival might mean a number of the 10 out of contract players move on. Either way the Clarets face a rebuild.
One thing that seems a certainty is that James Tarkowski will not be part of the Burnley equation come next season. The centre back has elected to run his deal down and has spoken of his desire for a new challenge.
There has been interest, and bids, in recent windows for the England international with West Ham United and Leicester City seeing offers rejected. The Clarets turned down a £30m plus add-ons bid from Leicester in September 2020 having already rebuffed two offers from the Hammers.
The Foxes were frustrated by Burnley's negotiating tactics but could re-visit a deal in the summer with the 29-year-old a free agent. He ticks the box of an experienced Premier League player while the importance of Johnny Evans to the Foxes in recent seasons shows 30+ players can be vital.
And while it is understood that Leicester are focussed on a left sided centre back, a position Tarkowski has been filling during Ben Mee's recent injury absence, a move for a player the club certainly admire cannot be ruled out. Indeed Rodgers has spoken of his desire for his defence to help prevent shots, something Tarkowksi excels at, in recent weeks.
And ahead of the Foxes game at Burnley earlier in the month, the Northern Irishman spoke in glowing terms about Mee, also out of contract in the summer, and Tarkowski.
Speaking to the Leicester Mercury, he said: You've got two centre-halves that want to defend. They actually want to go and head the ball and make clearances. Burnley are a team that are compact and tight throughout the game, and in the final third, their centre-halves, they can read the game, they can read situations and go and defend.
That’s something for us, and for any team, is really important, and when we’re at our best, that’s what it looks like for us. It’s one of the key strengths of Burnley, they’re very good at defending in the box, they have players who want to go and head it, and they do very well at that aspect.
Leicester have struggled defensively this season, with a spate of injuries not helping their cause, and while they may seek more of a ball playing, pressing defender than Tarkowski, his availability on a free transfer will certainly place the Foxes, and countless others, on high alert.
