Oliver Burke left the Championship and Nottingham Forest in 2016 – but could be returning to the City Ground when West Brom are relegated.
It seems a long time since Oliver Burke was tearing up the Championship for Nottingham Forest and being touted as the East Midlands’ very own Gareth Bale.
Since leaving the City Ground in the summer of 2016, the 21-year-old winger has made a grand total of seven league starts during disappointing spells at RB Leipzig and West Bromwich Albion – after moves which cost a combined £28 million.
These days, Burke has spent most of the season as West Brom’s forgotten man, his debut season at The Hawthorns restricted largely to brief cameo appearances as The Baggies slide inevitably towards the Championship.
It is hard to believe Burke became the club’s record signing as recently as August, moving to The Hawthorns from Leipzig for a club record fee of £15 million, as reported by the BBC.
So it is understandable that Nottingham Forest fans are clamouring for Burke to make an emotional return to the City Ground. The Scottish starlet needs to get his once promising career back on track and where better than returning to where it all began, albeit on a short-term loan deal.
But who knows, Burke could have an opportunity in West Brom’s first team next season. He will be playing Championship football next season, after all, returning to a league he took by storm not so long ago.
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