Eleven months ago, reports emerged suggesting that Burnley were leading Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, AC Milan and even Paris Saint-Germain in pursuit of one of Europe’s most promising young forwards.
One year on, with Burnley heading back to the Championship with a whimper, the 20-year-old attacker could be forgiven for feeling he dodged a bullet.
The Clarets’ transfer market activity during the summer of 2023, after all, may go down as a perfect example of how not to prepare for life in the Premier League.
While Burnley were powerless to prevent the departures of former loan stars Ian Maatsen and Nathan Tella – two players who ended the following season with a European final – most of the players they did sign flopped pretty badly.
Arguably only Dara O’Shea, Sander Berge, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Koleosho could be considered a success, with James Trafford, Zeki Amdouni, Aaron Ramsey and particularly the £16 million Mike Tresor proving to be expensive disappointments during a summer reminiscent of Fulham’s disastrous, £100 million-plus recruitment drive of 2018.
Burnley missed out on Lyon starlet Ernest Nuamah
Which camp would Ernest Nuamah have fallen into?
That is anyone’s guess. But, with the Daily Mail reporting that Nuamah was one of Burnley’s leading targets during the summer of 2023, the then-FC Nordsjaelland wonderkid is probably better off without having spent a season battling against the tide of relegation in claret and blue.
The Mail added that there was interest from Everton and Tottenham Hotspur at the time, alongside Milan, Ajax and PSG.
One year on, Nuamah becomes the latest talented young African to secure a big-money move to one of Europe’s major leagues after honing his talents at Nordsjaelland. The 20-year-old Ghana international follows in the footsteps of West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus, Southampton’s Kamaldeen Sulemana, and Brighton duo Simon Adingra and Ibrahim Osman.
Nuamah joined Belgian outfit RWD Molenbeek in August 2023 before heading to their French-based sister club Lyon on an initial loan deal.
Molenbeek have now confirmed that a graduate of the fabled Right to Dream academy based in Ghana has now sealed a permanent move to Olympique Lyonnais to the tune of £24 million, via their official website.
Everton and Tottenham Hotspur also linked
Nuamah, a right-winger by trade, scored three times and provided two assists during a promising debut season in French football. He will now be hoping to kick on as a full-time member of the Lyon squad.
And Ligue 1 defenders will not be thrilled to see Nuamah return. To quote Olympique Lyonnais coach Pierre Sage, the youngster is the sort of direct, explosive talent who strikes fear into the heart of full-backs.
“Ernest Nuamah is a player who pushes the opponent into their entrenchments. He makes them retreat,” Sage said after Nuamah set up Alex Lacazette’s winner at Marseille in the spring, via Made in Gones.
“It’s difficult to defend against him. He also attracts players to him, which allows spaces to be opened up for other players.”
One year on from those Tottenham links emerging, Ange Postecoglou’s side may still be in the market for another wide man to provide competition for Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and the returning Timo Werner.
HITC understands that there is interest in Baris Alper Yilmaz – Turkey’s Euro 2024 livewire – while Club Brugge wonderkid Antonio Nusa is still on the radar after those January negotiations.
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