Why Abdoulaye Toure would be a good fit for Sean Dyche’s Burnley
Back in July 2018, the L’Equipe (h/t The Sun) had claimed Burnley were in talks to sign Nantes ace Abdoulaye Toure. However, a deal didn’t go through last summer and the midfielder has since stayed put at the club.
A youth product of the Nantes academy, Abdoulaye Toure, 25, made his senior debut for the club back in the 2012/13 season. Since the 2016/17 campaign, the defensive midfielder has become a regular fixture in the Nantes first-team. He has mightily impressed in the last couple of seasons, helping the Les Canaris finish 12th in the Ligue 1 table last term.
With the former France Under-20 international having impressed in Nantes colours over the last couple of years, Burnley should make a move for him in January.
Burnley have enjoyed a decent start to the Premier League season and are seventh in the table (at the time of writing). Ashley Westwood and Jack Cork have formed a strong partnership at the middle of the park, efficiently doing their primary job of disrupting the opposition’s advances.
But with Cork turning 30 and Chelsea loanee Danny Drinkwater having struggled with injuries so far, Sean Dyche should look at the possibility of bringing in another body in the middle of the park. That being said, Abdoulaye Toure would be a good fit at Turf Moor.
Toure has started the new campaign well, playing every Ligue 1 game so far for Nantes. Even though scoring goals isn’t his forte, the French anchorman of Guinean descent has two to his name this term. A defensive midfielder by trade, the 25-year-old has the versatility to adapt seamlessly to a box-to-box role in midfield and his tackling skills and physical attributes should make him an instant upgrade on several existing names in Burnley’s ranks.
As per WhoScored.com, Toure has averaged 1.1 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 0.5 clearances and 0.4 blocks, whilst winning 1.4 aerial duels and enjoying 85.6% pass success rate. The mini-stats do suggest that the 25-year-old is a very good tackler and can also make some crucial interceptions for his team.
More Burnley News
- Why Ivan Toney would be a smart long-term investment for Burnley
- Why Celtic’s Nir would be a good catch for Dyche and Burnley
- Why Charlie Taylor’s new deal with Burnley would be good for the club
Burnley currently have decent options in central midfield but the Nantes ace is more than capable of competing for a place in the first-team, whilst also adding valuable depth in a key area of the pitch for Dyche.
Verdict
A technical yet hard-working, combative player adept at winning back possession and starting attacks from the middle of the park, Toure would be a real coup for the Clarets.