28-year-old striker Matej Vydra and Burnley could be parting ways in the January transfer window. As per Lancashire Live, Vydra, who recently extended his contract with the Clarets, is considering playing elsewhere to boost his chances of representing the Czech Republic in the European Championship.
January Transfer Window Might See Players Departing Burnley – Potentially Matej Vydra
Burnley’s Recent Takeover
ALK Capital recently acquired an 84% stake in Burnley Football Club. Alan Pace, who is both British and American, is their new chairman. The former Real Salt Lake CEO created ALK Capital in 2019 with the aim of purchasing a football club. Former Burnley chairman Mike Garlick is now the team’s director.
Manager Sean Dyche is well accustomed to not having funds at his dispatch in transfer windows. As teams around the league continued to improve, Burnley’s recruitment stagnated. But now, with the arrival of Alan Pace and ALK Capital, the Clarets have money to spend. A complete January overhaul is unlikely, though some arrivals and departures are more imminent than before.
Matej Vydra Before Burnley
Matej Vydra’s career in England started as many Watford players’ do. After spending his youth days in his home nation, Vydra found himself with Udinese (who have the same owners as Watford) in 2010. In 2012, Vydra played, on loan, with Watford, where he scored 22 times and earned the Championship Player of the Year award.
After a loan to West Bromwich Albion, Vydra was loaned back to Watford in the 2014/15 season. His 16 goals and six assists contributed massively to the Hornets’ promotion to the Premier League. Watford bought him permanently for £7.5 million as a result, but he subsequently went on loan to Reading. After the largely unsuccessful loan spell, when Watford’s depth suggested Vydra was not needed, he left for Derby County in an £8.5 million move.
Vydra’s second season with The Rams saw him earn the Championship top scorer accolade. Burnley’s £11 million bid was too much for Derby to turn down. In 50 appearances under Dyche, Vydra has ten goal contributions – a not-too-impressive return.
Apart from club competitions, Vydra has appeared in 32 senior matches for the Czech Republic, scoring six times.
What the Future Holds for Vydra
With the rescheduled European Championship marching closer, Vydra wants to play as much as possible to secure his spot on the Czech team. His current performance for Burnley makes his inclusion hard to justify. Previously, Burnley worried about taking a tremendous price-loss if they chose to sell Vydra. With the new ownership, however, such financial implications might not be so worrisome anymore. Vydra’s departure, if he is to leave, could also be on a temporary basis.
Chris Wood, Ashley Barnes, and Jay Rodriguez leave Vydra as their fourth-choice striker. Minutes for Vydra are hard to come by these days. One potential suitor for him could be the team that gave him his start in the UK: Watford. The Hornets do not have a goal-scorer with over five goals on the season. Vydra, who was prolific for Watford on two different occasions, is someone who could provide the attacking spark they need.
Watford recently announced the signing of versatile Danish winger Philip Zinckernagel, so Vydra’s arrival at Vicarage Road seems somewhat unlikely. But, the player and club do have a strong relationship, and steering Watford to promotion for sure earns Vydra a trip to the European Championship.
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