First team football will be the making of Oliver Burke

Celtic have already made their first signing of the January transfer window in the guise of Oliver Burke from West Brom on loan until the end of the season with all eyes focused on who the next player through the door will be.

But Burke’s move to Celtic has come as a bit of a surprise according to Journalist and West Brom fan Matt Evans, but believes that regular first-team football will be the making of the Scotland international.

Evans said: “There was a lot of optimism around it [Burke signing for WBA]. For one, it was close to being our record signing so there was an expectation that Burke was going to play a big part in our season, and at such a young age, for quite a few seasons to come after that!

“Burke had been linked to Albion before his move to RB Leipzig, so obviously West Brom fans had looked at some of his performances for Nottingham Forest and he looked very impressive.”

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Despite the sizeable transfer fee, Burke has never stamped his authority on a place within the West Brom team and now looks like a player who will warm a seat in the stand nevermind the bench.

But Evans believes that Burke can be a top player. He added: “It’s hard to put a finger on it. Burke was brought in for a big fee but he never looked like a Tony Pulis type signing and that was evidenced by the fact he was very rarely used by the Welshman, he simply didn’t have the defensive discipline to play in that style.

“It looked as if opportunities would be more forthcoming under Alan Pardew but again those chances dried up after one quite innocuous error in a loss to West Ham. He wasn’t the only one to suffer under Pardew’s management though.

“Burke has all the physical attributes to be a top player, he’s strong, fast and is also a decent finisher. It’s just his first touch and that leaves a bit to be desired, but that only comes with first-team football, which he has hardly seen since he left Forest.”

While a loan move away from the Hawthorns always looked on the cards for Burke, his destination was certainly a surprise.

“I’m not surprised he’s gone out on loan, said Evans. “He wasn’t even making match day squads at Albion and as mentioned, at his age and with his lack of game-time, he really needs to be out there playing regular football in a first-team environment.

“I’m surprised he’s ended up at Celtic, I think it would have been nice to have seen him in the league we’re currently playing in and also, you’d think there was more chance of him playing in a lower championship side than a team like Celtic.

“However, I guess it would be a difficult move for Burke to turn down and playing in front of big crowds in a high-pressured situation with you chasing the league, it might be the making of him.”

And while Evans believes that playing regularly will do Burke a world of good, he thinks that it will take time for the Scotland international to break into the Celtic first-team – in part due to the performances of James Forrest and the lack of first-team football.

Evans continued: “I think he’ll struggle to hit the ground running purely on the basis he hasn’t played in such a long time, I certainly don’t see him going straight into the starting line-up, especially with his best position being on the right wing where James Forrest has been very impressive this season.

“Burke has pace, power, he’s direct and can beat a man. His final product might be lacking on occasions but he’s the perfect player to bring on if you’re chasing a game or look to exploit open spaces as the opposition presses for goals. He’s also versatile, on the right may be his best position but he can also play on the left-hand side or even up front.

With no option to buy as part of the loan deal to Celtic, there is hope that he can use his spell north of the border to rekindle his West Brom career.

“I hope his time isn’t up and the lack of an ‘option to buy’ clause would suggest that’s the case,” replied Evans. “At the end of the day, he was a massive investment for the football club, both in terms of price and the fact he signed a five-year deal. We’re only two seasons into that, he’s still a young lad and there’s clearly somebody at the club who believes he has a future.

“First team football will be the making of Burke, he hasn’t had it regularly since his initial breakthrough at Forest which is what earned him the move in the first place. Getting the chance to play and hone his craft can only benefit both the player and West Brom.”