Why Burnley would be a better destination for Harold Moukoudi

Burnley have joined West Ham United in a race to sign Le Havre defender Harold Moukoudi. The price is around £9m, which would be a bargain for either of these teams, such is the quality of the player they could possibly get.

West Ham, under Manuel Pellegrini, have been active in this transfer window and have done good business. They have signed good attacking players along with two first-choice defenders in Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena. So, the Hammers might probably not need another defender, unless they sell one.

Burnley on the other hand, have been relatively quiet in the market after a remarkable season which propelled them to play in the Europa League qualifiers. Hence, getting Moukoudi as a back-up for James Tarkowski and Ben Mee would be a shrewd business.

Here’s everything you need to know about the player and why Burnley over West Ham would be a better destination for him.

Player Analysis – Harold Moukoudi

Age – 20

Main Position – Central Defender

Current Club – Le Havre

Moukoudi is a commanding centre-back who possesses the physicality to shrug off centre-forwards with ease. His height (over 6ft) allows him to win aerial duels and be a genuine threat to the opposition during set-pieces. The 20-year-old scored 4 goals last season, which shows he is dangerous in dead-ball situations.

In addition, the Frenchman is quite a secured defender, who likes to tackle and intercept the opposition build-ups. His passing from the back is also something to savour, given the fact that he can pick out incisive through balls if allowed to move forward with the ball.

So, Burnley manager Sean Dyche would love to have him in his squad for the upcoming season. At a tender age of 20, he has plenty of years left in him to learn and be the next French colossus at the back.

Verdict

Going to West Ham and probably sitting on the bench won’t do justice to Moukoudi’s talent and forte. Even though he won’t be an automatic starter at Burnley, there is more of a chance that Dyche might offer more game time when compared to Pellegrini.

For the player too, it will be an opportunity to play in a global league like the English top-flight and show his worth to millions of viewers from around the world.