Star says he has an ‘offer from Burnley’ but will not be signing for Kompany

Follow us on Google Discover

Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Jean Butez admits he had an ‘offer on the table’ from Burnley before missing out on a £4 million move to the Premier League. 

12 months after Vincent Kompany saw Anderlecht’s Bart Verbruggen slip through his fingers, Burnley found themselves in a similar situation with another Jupiler League shot-stopper. 

Jean Butez kept a remarkable 20 clean sheets as Royal Antwerp won their first domestic title since 1957 last season. But while Antwerp’s CEO insisted that he would not stand in Butez’s way when Burnley came calling, a bid of £4 million was not enough to twist the arm. 

“When we met here at the end of June. There was an offer from Burnley on the table, and I spoke to the coach (Mark Van Bommel) about it,” Butez tells Gazet van Antwerpen.  

“He told me that it would be great to go to the Premier League. I thought so too. But hey, that’s in the past.” 

Burnley sign James Trafford after Jean Butez talks

By Butez’s own admission, his hopes of securing a life-changing switch to England’s top flight are now ‘over’. Especially after Burnley secured the £19 million signing of James Trafford; Manchester City’s England U21 hero. 

“The talks are over,” Butez adds. “And, in the meantime, they have chosen another goalkeeper (Trafford). If Antwerp had reacted earlier, maybe something would have come out of it.

“(Joining a new club) that’s the goal. But I’m still here. Yes, there are clubs that are interested in me after my good season, and I want to play at a higher level.

“But another year at Antwerp, with European football, wouldn’t be bad either. I also want to make that clear to the fans. Everyone asks me what I’m going to do, but I can’t answer this question for now.  

“All I can say is that I am very happy here. I am part of a wonderful group and I have a good relationship with the coach. I am in a position of luxury.”

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany could also use his Etihad connections to bring Taylor Harwood-Bellis back to Turf Moor after an outstanding loan spell. The Clarets also made a bid bid for Metz striker Georges Mikautadze, though that deal may be placed on the backburner after the signing of Zeki Amdouni from FC Basel.