Nottingham Forest sold Oliver Burke to RB Leipzig earlier this week.
Oliver Burke celebrates scoring for Nottingham Forest
Former Nottingham Forest manager Dougie Freedman has told The Scottish Sun that he spoke to Oliver Burke before the winger’s move to RB Leipzig.
Burke, 19, had been on the books at the City Ground since joining back in 2005 at the age of just eight, and hit the headlines with his exploits so far this season.
Oliver Burke in action with Brighton’s Liam Rosenior
The Scottish winger smashed four goals in the first five games of the Championship season, and just days before the summer transfer window closed, he made a quite stunning transfer.
Burke made a shock move to Germany with Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, with BBC Sport reporting that the fee involved is a staggering £13m.
That makes Burke the most expensive Scottish player of all-time, and the winger has been praised for his brave decision to try his hand at German football rather than become a reserve with a Premier League side.
Oliver Burke celebrates scoring for Nottingham Forest
Now, the man who handed Burke his league debut with Forest has had his say on the move, with former manager Dougie Freedman speaking to The Scottish Sun this week.
Freedman revealed that he spoke to Burke about a transfer, and urged him to go with his gut instinct when choosing his next destination, given that the teenager knew a move may be coming.
Freedman added that six or seven Premier League managers have all contacted him about Burke, and thinks it’s a shame that English football has lost such a huge talent in Burke.
Former Nottingham Forest manager Dougie Freedman
“I have a good relationship with Oliver,” said Freedman. “He is someone I have a lot of time for, from a good family who have done a great job raising him to be the person he is. We spoke a few days ago, about potential moves and what he should to.”
“I told him that if he was searching for an answer that it was in the mirror. That he had to go with his gut. Oliver had a fair idea there was a chance that something would happen and he put a lot of thought into his decision.”
“I know I’ve had at least six or seven English Premier League managers on the phone to me recently asking about his character and potential. It’s a shame for the English game that he’s moved abroad, because they’ve lost out on someone with real ability,” he added.
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