The season is officially over and transfer talks have ramped up as we approach the summer transfer window. Here’s a look at the latest news. Everton have shown heavy interest in signing Burnley defender James Tarkowski but Aston Villa remains in the race too.
The Englishman is likely to depart from Burnley as his contract expires this summer and has already started receiving offers from clubs in the Premier League. Had Burnley stayed in the Premier League, they would have been able to offer Tarkowski a better deal but with their relegation the chances of him staying at Turf Moor are very dim.
Everton were in a prime position to sign the star center back prior to Aston Villa’s massive contract offer. Everton reportedly offered Tarkowski a contract worth £5 million per season which comes down to roughly £90,000 per week.
Everton are in need of defensive stability. Yerry Mina has an abysmal injury record whereas Michael Keane hasn’t been consistent. On the other hand, Tarkowski has an excellent fitness record, registering 30+ appearances every season in the last four years.
Aston Villa make better offer than Everton for James Tarkowski
The latest news on the race for Burnley’s star defender indicates that Aston Villa is the new front runner after offering Tarkowski a massive contract. Everton, Fulham, and West Ham United have all expressed interest in signing the defender but Aston Villa’s offer may seal the deal. According to the Daily Mail, Villa have offered a deal worth around £120,000 per week which is nearly double some of the other offers and double what he earns at Burnley.
Tarkowski had a solid year despite his club finishing in the relegation zone this season. Burnley’s defense finished in the top half of the league in clean sheets but struggled to win games because they couldn’t put the ball in the net.
Tarkowski was on the pitch for seven out of nine of those clean sheets and he had an impressive 69% tackle success rate. Aerially, he is one of the mightiest defenders and can be a leader in the backline.
With Villa’s bumper offer, it is now Everton’s turn to either up the ante or pursue Tarkowski by convincing him regarding Everton’s sporting project. The Toffees need a strong central defender and Tarkowski is certainly a good shout.
Will James Tarkowski play for the Toffees?