Player says ‘cancelled’ £4m Burnley deal cost him summer transfer

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Burnley’s failure to secure a £4 million move for Anderlecht goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen had repercussions in Belgium with Maxime Delanghe then missing out on a return to his old club, he tells Het Laaste Nieuws. 

Well, you can’t accuse The Clarets of failing to prepare.

After a proposed £4 million deal for Verbruggen fell through in July, Burnley reacted at the speed of light to bring in Aro Muric from Manchester City instead. Quite the feet, really, when you consider how far they were down the line with Anderlecht initially.

Verbruggen, handed his first-team debut by none other than Vincent Kompany at the Jupiler League giants, was on the verge of jetting out to England before undergoing medical tests with Burnley. Until, that is, he performed a U-turn that would give even Lewis Hamilton whiplash. 

“Bart has decided to stay with us,” beamed Anderlecht coach – and Kompany’s replacement – Felice Mazzu. “We are naturally very happy within the staff because he is a great talent.” 

Anderlecht ace Bart Verbruggen turned down Burnley

Verbruggen’s sudden change of mind caused ripples all the way from Lancashire to Eindhoven. PSV reserve ‘keeper Maxime Delanghe was supposed to re-join Anderlecht as the teenager’s replacement. But with Verbruggen opting to stay put, Delanghe was no longer required at Lotto Park. 

“This summer Anderlecht also asked me to return,” the 21-year-old explains. “When the transfer of their second goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen to Burnley was cancelled, it did not go through.”

Delanghe would eventually sign a short-term deal with Lierse instead.

As for Burnley, well Muric has settled nicely into Championship life; Proving a point after that disastrous and short-lived spell between the sticks at Nottingham Forest in 2019. He’s clearly a better, more rounded and more mature goalkeeper since then.

Burnley have signed 11 new players this summer. More could still arrive over the next fortnight however. The £10 million-rated Metz defender Boubakar ‘Kiki’ Kouyate is one to keep a close eye upon.