Jack Cork has looked a snip for Burnley at £10m – a fee that Newcastle United did not want to pay.
Why Jack Cork appears to be underrated at every club he is at remains a mystery. The midfielder was a regular for both Southampton and Swansea City but both clubs appeared to be more than willing to cash in when the opportunity arose.
But Cork is belatedly getting the credit he deserves under Sean Dyche at Burnley. According to the BBC, The Clarets paid £10 million to sign him in the summer and, while that fee looked a little hefty at the time, the 28-year-old has proved to be one of the finest signings of the season.
A maiden England call-up for the recent friendlies against Brazil and Germany, albeit in part due to a series of injuries, was just rewards.
So Cork can perhaps go down as another reason for Newcastle United supporters to feel frustrated about their summer transfer business. Thanks to Mike Ashley’s scrimp and save regime, The Magpies were unable to strengthen their squad considerably in the post-season and Cork was just one of many who slipped through their grasp.
According to The Chronicle, Newcastle wanted to bring Cork to Tyneside but a modern Burnley side blew them out of the water by offering £10 million, plus £50,000-a-week wages.
But as it stands, Newcastle’s refusal to meet Swansea’s asking price looks a little silly now considering just how influential he has been for the Premier League’s surprise packages so far.
And Newcastle fans won’t forget Cork’s excellent performance against them in Burnley’s 1-0 win at Turf Moor in a hurry.
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