The midfielder really began to establish himself as one of the brightest prospects in the Championship last season.
Nottingham Forest’s Oliver Burke
While Oliver Burke has refused to compare himself to Gareth Bale, he has admitted that he dreams of emulating the Real Madrid star by reaching the top of the game, The Scottish Sun reports.
The Nottingham Forest winger is currently one of the brightest prospects in the Championship, much like the Welshman was around a decade ago when he burst onto the scene at St Mary’s.
Gareth Bale during his time with Southampton
And while he is under no illusions that it will be incredibly difficult to follow the same kind of path that Bale has, he suggested the fact that few would have anticipated just how far the former Tottenham man would go gives him confidence about what he can achieve.
“When Gareth Bale was at Southampton, no one could have predicted what he would go on to achieve,” he told The Scottish Sun.
“I believe I can do that. Obviously I have a lot to learn and I have to work incredibly hard, but why not? You have to have a dream.
“People have compared me to him a lot. I’d never do that, because even though we have similarities in attributes and build, I’m a million miles off where he is.
“I’m not saying for one second ‘I’m the next Gareth Bale’ but I’ve heard it a lot and it’s some compliment. He didn’t start off as ‘Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale’ and it doesn’t matter where you start.”
Like Bale with the Saints, the 19-year-old’s debut season for the Forest first-team saw him make two league appearances in the second tier. And like Bale, it was during his second campaign in the team that he began to show why he is so highly-rated.
Although Forest endured a fairly disappointing season last term, there was always a sense of excitement when the youngster got onto the ball. And that did not go unnoticed by Scotland boss Gordon Strachan, who handed him his international debut earlier in the year.
But his challenge will now be to force his way into the starting line-up for club and perhaps country during the coming season to give him the best chance of demonstrating the promise that Bale showed when he emerged onto the scene.
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