Burnley are set to announce the signing of midfielder Josh Laurent from Stoke City, according to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath on X.
The Clarets look set to be busy as the transfer window enters its final days, having experienced significant squad upheaval in recent weeks. The likes of Wilson Odobert and Sander Berge have both left for the Premier League, with names such as James Trafford also linked with moves before the window slams shut.
This means the Lancastrians will be frequenting the market more than they would maybe like as they look to boost their thin-looking squad’s numbers. One area they have been targeting is midfield, with Hannibal Mejbri having signed from Manchester United and Laurent set to follow from Championship rivals Stoke.
The 29-year-old is a well-known name amongst Championship supporters, having become a regular in the division since his move to Reading from Shrewsbury Town in 2020. The London-born midfielder was named the club’s player of the season for the 2020-21 campaign and continued his form the following season which earnt him a move to the bet365 Stadium where he remains today. Overall, the Queens Park Rangers academy graduate has made 159 appearances in the second tier, and looks set to add to that tally at Turf Moor.
Despite their squad being somewhat decimated this summer, which has concerned many Clarets fans, it’s been a positive start to the season for Scott Parker’s men. They’ve won two of their three league games and have been particularly prolific in front of goal as they look to gain automatic promotion back to the top-flight. As one of the favourites for the league, they’ll be looking to the transfer market to boost their squad ahead of the season and look to be doing that with Laurent.
Writer’s View
This is a great move for Burnley, although it’s difficult to judge how good it is for Laurent. He’ll certainly be earning more than at Stoke and if Burnley gain promotion he’ll have the chance to play in the Premier League, but from a footballing perspective it’s less convincing. He’ll probably only be a squad player whereas he was a starter at Stoke, so he’ll likely get fewer minutes.
This is what suits Burnley though. He won’t be a star player but will add much needed depth, while not costing them too much. Laurent is also likely to fit tactically, providing something different to their current players, and he will be able to utilise his experience at the lower end of the table to help the Clarets in those games which could be potential stumbling blocks.
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