Burnley have struggled with scoring goals in the Premier League this season as they hover around the relegation zone. Sean Dyche has been keen on bringing in a new striker and he has finally landed his man. Stoke City and Burnley have swapped strikers which sees Peter Crouch head to Burnley and Sam Vokes head to Stoke City.
Crouch to Burnley as Vokes Heads to Stoke
New Stoke City boss Nathan Jones wants Sam Vokes to bolster his bid to gatecrash the Championship play-offs. However, the £9 million price tag looked to have sent the transfer as cold as the winter weather. Sean Dyche has said that he does not want to lose his best players and Sam Vokes fits that bill. Vokes is frustrated, though, at a lack of game time and has struggled for minutes, with Dyche preferring Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood up front.
Is Crouch Still Able to Score at the Highest Level?
Eyebrows may be raised at Burnley signing Peter Crouch this late in his career but his record is not be sneezed at. Over 100 Premier League goals and, even though he has featured mainly from the bench this season (21 occasions), he keeps himself fit and can still cause defences all sorts of problems.
He will suit Burnley’s more direct style of football. Also, coming from the bench, he can change games and could be the player to secure another season of top-flight football for the Lancashire club.
A Deal to Suit Both Sides
Although an undisclosed fee has been agreed between the two clubs, it is Crouch who is the sweetener in the deal and means Sam Vokes will play in the Championship, a league where he has scored goals for fun.
Stoke City and Burnley are both happy with this deal and subsequently now focus on a huge last few months of the seasons as Stoke look to promotion back to the top table, whilst Burnley look to remain there for another season.
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