West Ham United believe Burnley will sell Charlie Taylor before the summer window slams shut, with David Moyes interested in the Turf Moor ace in his quest to buy a new left-back.
West Ham believe Burnley will sell Charlie Taylor with David Moyes interested
According to talkSPORT, West Ham United are weighing up evolving David Moyes’ interest in Burnley defender Charlie Taylor. The Irons boss is considering a deal for the 28-year-old, with the Scot eager to add further competition for Aaron Cresswell in the summer market.
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West Ham have already explored moves to coax Filip Kostic away from Eintracht Frankfurt and Emerson Palmieri from Chelsea. But hopes of acquiring either fell through, with Kostic joining Serie A giants Juventus instead for an initial £10m with a further £4m with add-ons.
Maxwel Cornet can serve a role as a makeshift wing-back following his transfer to the Irons from Turf Moor this summer. But Moyes intends to utilise his £17.5m Ivory Coast winger in more advanced areas, following his stunning Premier League efforts at Burnley last season.
West Ham also believe Burnley will cave into selling Taylor, should Moyes now advance his interest, as the Clarets need the cash. The former England U19 defender is due to be under contract in Lancashire to 2024, taking him to seven years at the club after his free transfer.
Taylor turned down a new contract at Leeds United to join Burnley in 2017, per Sky Sports. The defender had made 104 appearances with his boyhood club, and continued to be their first-choice during his final season. But he chose to go and has had 153 outings at Burnley.
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Vincent Kompany has started Taylor in all four of Burnley’s Championship matches to start the season, and his tenure. But the left-back has made each appearance under the Belgian in central defence, a role he had never previously occupied at any part of his senior career.
Yet despite his lack of experience, Kompany admires what Taylor has given in the position. “If he has never played there, I can’t say why,” the Manchester City icon said, via Burnley Express. “I have been in the position for a few years of my life, and I saw a centre-half.”
Former Burnley boss Sean Dyche, meanwhile, believed Taylor’s skill at left-back could see him earn his senior England bow. “He’s improving and he continues to do so,” Dyche said, via The Herald. “He’s had his learning curve and some unfortunate spells out with injury.
“He’s a very powerful defender, very good one-v-one and if he plays forwards more, and runs forwards more, then he at least can get around the thinking of the national manager.”
But if West Ham are to now target Taylor, Moyes may have to rival interest from Leeds for the Burnley star. Alan Nixon has suggested the Whites hierarchy are considering a reunion with their academy product over the summer to improve Jesse Marsch’s left-back options.
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