Why ex-Southampton man didn’t have to look far to seek advice before making Burnley move
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The winger was one of three new arrivals last week after joining Zeki Amdouni
and James Trafford in making the move to Turf Moor this summer.
The 29-year-old joins on a free transfer following his recent departure from Turkish side
Besiktas, penning a two-year deal with the option of a further 12 months.
The experienced wide man spent the season in Istanbul, scoring five times in 25
appearances after making the switch from Southampton.
Redmond previously made 232 appearances over a six-year spell with the Saints, scoring
30 times, before his contract ran out last summer.
During that time, he played alongside the likes of Jack Cork, Jay Rodriguez and Michael
Obafemi and he sought their advice before completing his switch to East Lancashire.
“I knew a few of the players that were here anyway like Corky, Jay Rod and Michael,
Nathan Tella was here last year as well. A lot of the other boys I’ve played against
anyway, so in terms of getting a high review, it was easy to come by,” he told Clarets+
“In terms of the management team, it was more about the ethos, the style of play and the
culture he’s trying to create.
“There were a lot of positive things that made me feel a part of something that can
hopefully build for the future.”
Redmond flew out to Belgium for Saturday’s friendly against Genk but didn’t feature, but
will now be focused on making his mark out in Lisbon during the club’s training camp.
It’s been a whirlwind few days for the former Birmingham City man, who was only
unveiled as a Burnley player on Friday.
“I had never seen the training ground before and the surroundings are great,” he added.
“The people that work here as well are fantastic and have made me feel so welcome from minute one.
“That alone is super valuable, but every person I speak to speaks so highly about the
manager and the culture he’s managed to change in such a short space of time.
“Everyone around is so appreciative of what he’s managed to do in a year.”
READ MORE:
Aston Villa agree midfield transfer and make stunning move for €30m follow-up deal
Amrabat has been in demand recently after entering the final year of his contract with Fiorentina. The midfielder impressed for Morocco at the World Cup, which helped generate interest in his services.
Man Utd have been linked with Amrabat, although Fiorentina have denied they have received any offers for him. The interest from Erik ten Hag’s side has been verified in an update by Viola News, though.
According to the latest, Amrabat is attracting interest from Premier League sides Man Utd, Tottenham and Aston Villa.
It is reiterated that none of them have put money on the table to Fiorentina yet. When the time comes, the asking price will be €30m (£26m).
Aston Villa have already strengthened their midfield by picking up Youri Tielemans from Leicester City on a free transfer this summer. But they could be ready to make an ambitious move for Amrabat.
That said, competing with Man Utd may be tough for a couple of reasons. First, the Red Devils have Champions League football on offer next season. Furthermore, Amrabat has already played under Ten Hag before at Utrecht.
However, Aston Villa have qualified for the Europa Conference League next season, so will be aiming to entice Amrabat into accepting their project instead.
Aston Villa offloading current midfielder amid Amrabat interest
Meanwhile, they have given the green light for one of the midfielders already on their books to leave.
According to Foot Mercato, Aston Villa have agreed to send Morgan Sanson to Nice on loan with an option to buy.
Sanson spent the second half of last season with Strasbourg after struggling to fight for his place at Villa Park. After getting back on track in Ligue 1, he has caught the attention of Nice.
The Ineos-owned club have fended off competition from Strasbourg and Lille to acquire Sanson’s services. The value of their option to buy has not been disclosed in the report.
If Aston Villa can manage to offload a player they barely had use for in the shape of Sanson and replace him with a coveted talent like Amrabat, it would represent a serious upgrade.
As things stand, though, their pursuit of Amrabat is not as advanced as the negotiation to send Sanson away again.
Furthermore, Aston Villa may have to be wary of interest from another of Amrabat’s suitors – Tottenham – in their own Douglas Luiz as well.
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