Oliver Burke has admitted that he rejected Tottenham in August.
Oliver Burke celebrates scoring for Nottingham Forest
Last week, RB Leipzig winger Oliver Burke confirmed to the Daily Mail that he turned down talks with Tottenham Hotspur before the transfer deadline in August.
Burke, 19, came up through the ranks with Nottingham Forest, and served up some eye-catching displays last season as he scored two goals in 21 games for the Championship side.
However, it was the start to this season that catapulted Burke into the spotlight. With four goals in the first five Championship games of the season, Burke drew major interest, and was eventually sold to German side RB Leipzig in a shock deal just days before the transfer deadline.
Scotland’s Oliver Burke
As reported by BBC Sport, the Bundesliga side splashed £13m on Burke, making him the most expensive Scottish footballer in history – but he has revealed that he had interest from Tottenham too.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Burke claims that he said no to visiting Tottenham, as he wasn’t sure how much first-team football he would play at White Hart Lane – despite Mauricio Pochettino’s reputation for giving young players a chance.
Oliver Burke in action with Brighton’s Liam Rosenior
“I was going to visit Tottenham,” said Burke. “But I said no because Leipzig showed enough care and attention to the little details. For a young man I don’t want to go somewhere that is a big club and be thinking am I going to play? Am I going to progress? Or are they just going to stick me out on loan, which happens a lot at English clubs.”
“You can only look at Chelsea, and see the amount of talent they have, but they’re all on loan, not getting used. You don’t feel wanted when you sign for a club, you’re there for two training sessions, and then they buy someone else in your position for double the amount,” he added.
Whilst that rejection may have hit Spurs, given that Burke is one of the most promising British talents around, they would be smart to keep him on their radar over the coming years.
Oliver Burke celebrates scoring
Often compared to former Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, Burke has great pace and power as well as an eye for goal, and has already proven his quality with one goal and one assist in the Bundesliga.
Ultimately, the chance to return to England will present itself to Burke at some point in his career, much like it did for ex-Tottenham striker Robbie Keane following his move from Coventry City to Inter Milan in 2000.
Rather than completely remove him from their radar after rejecting a move in August, Tottenham should keep an eye on Burke and his development in Germany, with a view to possibly making another move further down the line, where they can guarantee him the first-team football he wants.
Having already collected some top British talent in Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Harry Kane, Spurs should be looking to add even more players to that list – and Burke, even after rejecting the club once, should be a player they continue to target.
Would you like Spurs to make another move for Burke in the future?
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