Aged just 19, Oliver Burke was the talk of the transfer market this summer, after attracting interest from some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs. The likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea were all reportedly interested, as were German giants Bayern Munich, yet he opted for a move to newly promoted Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.
The decision shocked many, given Burke had started the Sky Bet Championship season with four goals in five games for Nottingham Forest, yet his decision seems to have been a good one.
You only have to look at the career of Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen to see how difficult it is for youngsters to break into Premier League clubs, despite their potential. Patrick Roberts, another British 19-year-old with huge potential who joined Manchester City last year, made just one appearance for his new club before joining Celtic on loan for the 2016/17 season.
Burke, on the other hand, has already featured in six of his club’s seven games since joining. Regular playing time is hugely important in a young player’s development and the valuable minutes that he is getting wouldn’t have been available at a bigger club. This way, Burke is learning to play alongside the very best without having to compete with global superstars for a place in the team. His big move will surely come, but there is no rush for the promising winger, who is still far from the finished product.
He has put in some impressive shifts for RB Leipzig already this season, scoring and one assisting one in six appearances, but his performances aren’t yet as consistent as they need to be if he is to become a star of the game. His attacking play is nothing short of brilliant on his day, but his defensive work is lacking. The very best attackers will work hard to chase down the ball when they don’t have it, but Burke has yet to add that to his game.
Although, it’s often easy to forget that players like Burke are just beginning their adult lives and have yet to experience many of the situations that he will have gone through over the last two months - not just a new club and new style of play, but a new country, too. It will take time for him to adapt, but the more time he spends on the pitch, the more likely he is to reach his best.
How much can he grow? Well, Burke has been compared to Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale on numerous occasions over the last few months, and it is easy to see why. He has the same stocky build and stature, but that doesn’t stop him from embarking on speedy runs inside his opposition’s half. Despite playing on the wing, he has plenty of goals in his locker too.
It’s certainly a lot of pressure on his young shoulders, and it is too soon to say whether he will emulate the Welsh wizard’s success. Yet, the potential is undeniably there and his decision to join RB Leipzig certainly shows that he is thinking about his future. If he continues to work hard, Oliver Burke is destined for the top of the game.