Nathan Tella lit up Turf Moor last season and may be on his way back to Burnley in a move that could help get the most out of Zeki Amdouni.
Burnley clearly mean business on their return to the Premier League, having already made seven signings since earning promotion from the Championship.
Who have Burnley signed?
The Clarets were quick to turn Jordan Beyer and Michael Obafemi’s loan deals into permanent signings, while Dara O’Shea, Zeki Amdouni, James Trafford, Nathan Redmond and Luca Koleosho have all joined this month.
Burnley do not appear to be finished there, though, as Vincent Kompany is said to be after another forward player, and that could see the Lancashire outfit turn to one of their promotion heroes.
Nathan Tella is back at Southampton after scoring 17 goals and assisting five more in 39 league appearances for Burnley last season, and the Clarets understandably want him to return to Turf Moor permanently.
According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Kompany’s side have been unsuccessful with a £9m offer, but they are expected to return with an improved bid for the 24-year-old.
Is Nathan Tella a good player?
Burnley supporters need no telling of Tella’s quality, as the Englishman’s 22 direct goal involvements last season were the most of any player at the club. In fact, the next-best performer was Josh Brownhill with ‘only’ 15.
It is therefore obvious why Kompany wants a player of that quality in his ranks, and it could well be a deal that helps get the most out of new signing Amdouni.
The Switzerland international has effectively been signed as Tella’s replacement, but there is no reason why the two cannot play together if Burnley can reach an agreement with Southampton.
Amdouni finished joint-top scorer in the Europa Conference League last season with seven goals for Basel, level with Fiorentina’s Arthur Cabral.
Whereas Tella – on wages of £13k-a-week at St Mary’s, according to Capology – was used most often out on the right last season, as per WhoScored, Amdouni is more of an out-and-out centre-forward.
The 22-year-old is an attacker who is able to fulfil his defensive duties, ranked as he is in the top 2% of forwards for tackles per 90 minutes (1.54) across the Swiss Super League and the eight leagues most similar to it, as per FBref.
Amdouni is also in the top 10% for interceptions per 90 (0.41) and the best 1% for blocks (1.95), further highlighting his ability to get stuck in and lead from the top.
As talented as Tella is, those are not areas he particularly thrives in. Using the same metrics across the Championship and the eight leagues most similar to it, the Arsenal academy product is in the bottom 18% for tackles (0.83) and the bottom 30% for interceptions (0.36).
That suggests the pair can complement each other, further backed up by the fact that Tella is more than happy to play a support role in attack – he averaged 2.24 crosses per 90 minutes last season, which was near enough on a parB with attacking full-back Ian Maatsen (2.30).
Tella is not quite yet the finished product – Kompany himself described him as a “raw diamond” earlier this year – but he has shown what he is capable of in a Burnley shirt and would no doubt help to get the most out of Amdouni & Co. should he return.
