- 15 hours ago
Arsenal's PERFECT Saka back-up option wanted by Burnley
Cameron Smith
- 30 Jul 2023 15:59 BST
- 2 min read
Burnley are interested in signing Troyes winger Wilson Odobert this summer, according to reports, with Vincent Kompany keen on adding the young Frenchman to his forward ranks.
Odobert, 18, starred in Ligue 1 last season, despite Troyes’ struggles, with the France youth international scoring four goals and providing two assists in 31 league appearances.
One of his assists came against Paris Saint-Germain, the club he left in 2022 in search of first-team game time. Odobert came through the ranks at the Parc des Princes side.
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According to Foot Mercato, Burnley have submitted an offer for Odobert, but it will not be accepted by the now Ligue 2 club.
Negotiating for Odobert may be made easier by the fact that Troyes are part of the City Football Group, and given Kompany’s ties with Manchester City, he may be able to help in talks to sign the 18-year-old.
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Odobert as a Saka back-up?
Saka, 21, has played over 40 club games in each of the past three seasons, while he made 30 appearances the campaign prior to that.
The Arsenal man is also an England regular, which means he has played an unhealthy amount of football for someone so young. Signing a capable back-up to give Saka a rest during easier Premier League games would thus be a smart move for Mikel Arteta.
Interestingly, data analytics experts SciSports pin Odobert as being of a very similar standard to Saka at the same age, although the Arsenal man did subsequently explode thereafter, which is something that may not happen with the Troyes man.
While FootballTransfers have pinned Odobert as a perfect back-up to Saka, no links have suggested they could move for him, with Burnley therefore a far more likely destination.
