To say Oliver Burke is the embodiment of nonlinear football development is an understatement. The most expensive Scottish footballer in history has never played in Scotland but moves to the Hoops unable to win a place at Championship challengers West Bromwich Albion.
Burke passed from Nottingham Forest to RB Leipzig for £13 million is 2016, a club that gathers fast, direct, strong young players like Celtic collect injury prone defenders. He has never played more senior matches in his career than the 25 he managed for the German side that season. Scottish international recognition followed as a teenager.
But he slipped out the reckoning and soon to be relegated West Bromwich Albion paid £15 million for the then 20-year-old. 15 goalless appearances followed in the English Premier League.
Burke now cannot command a place in a side riding high in the English Championship.
It is a stalled career at 21, and he has been out of the international reckoning since 2017.
Can a 6-month loan at the Scottish Champions reenergise it?
Position
The majority of Burke’s club career has been as an attacking right winger. This is where first club Nottingham Forest used him.
RB Leipzig also favoured him but latterly he was used as a central striker by the Bundesliga club.
At West Bromwich Albion he played mainly right wing also, but in later games for the Midlands side he was moved all along the front line.
It seems that with Arzani out long term, and Morgan yet to settle into a rhythm, he will battle for a starting place with Forrest.
With Weah able to cover across the front line as well, it may mean that Hayes and Morgan are surplus to requirements for this season at least as a knock-on impact of this signing.
Scoring Contribution
Burke has the distinction of being the first Scot since Brian O’Neil, once of this parish, to score a goal in the Bundesliga. It was to be his only goal in Germany versus old foes FC Koln.
Including international age grade football (Under 19 and above) Burke has only amassed 4618 minutes in 5 years as a professional. This equates to just over 34 full matches. Only 4 more than the 18-year-old Weah.
In those minutes he has managed 15 goals and 11 assists. This means that he averages an impressive 0.44 goals every 90m and 0.32 assists.
His total Scoring Contribution per 90m is therefore 0.76, which is higher that Weah’s (0.69).
Of the current squad this season Edouard (0.91) and Forrest (0.90) have higher SC rates.
I am not sure a 6-month loan will provide him the solid run of games he needs to accelerate his career. Substitute appearances and occasional run outs doesn’t seem what he needs.
On the other hand, there is clearly massive potential here and his Scoring Contribution statistics are impressive considering he has rarely had a long run of appearances to generate rhythm.
So Welcome Oliver and please start posting some great numbers!