Josh Cullen M Burnley b.1996

[ontheotherhand]

Yeah I agree but I suppose both players are or have been on the books at PL clubs as well. I also wouldn't write off Anderlecht as a place that would be on a PL clubs scouting radar. Certainly though their games for Ireland haven't had any negative effect on their chances which is what third_policeman seemed to be saying.

"Once upon a time playing for Ireland would have given players a positive profile and helped to get them a transfer to a higher level. That's no longer the case. He has performed brilliantly for us, but somehow that doesn't automatically register with PL managers in the way it might in the past. "

[Eirambler]

Arsenal signed a midfielder from Anderlecht for about 17 or 18 million last summer so players there are definitely on the radar. I'd say the Cullen interest is more based on his Anderlecht form than his Ireland form to be honest.

[tetsujin1979]

Anderlecht are in the end of season play offs in Belgium, and could go straight into the Champions League group stage, if that is the case, Cullen should stay where he is
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021%E2%80%9322_Belgian_First_Division_A#Play-Off_I

[ontheotherhand]

Yeah I'm not sure on the value of him moving back to England either. He left only very recently after not breaking in to a PL team and he's doing well now. Why change and risk not getting his game at this stage in his career? Hopefully he can get himself a decent paycheck over there as well.

[Snapshot]

Anderlecht are in the end of season play offs in Belgium, and could go straight into the Champions League group stage, if that is the case, Cullen should stay where he is
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021%E2%80%9322_Belgian_First_Division_A#Play-Off_I
How much would a CL run add to Cullen's salary? A Google trawl tells me he currently earns approx £8500-a-week. He could get that at an ok Championship club. He'd double it or more at a yo-yo club like Fulham, Bournemouth, WBA, Sheff Utd, Norwich, Watford etc. At 26, and without big bucks earned, the money takes precedence.

[seanfhear]

How much would a CL run add to Cullen's salary? A Google trawl tells me he currently earns approx £8500-a-week. He could get that at an ok Championship club. He'd double it or more at a yo-yo club like Fulham, Bournemouth, WBA, Sheff Utd, Norwich, Watford etc. At 26, and without big bucks earned, the money takes precedence.
When you are always just one bad injury away from a career ending, or an injury that could greatly reduce what you could earn in the future then you have to Make Hay when the sun is shining.

[Eirambler]

I think the reality of modern day football is that playing Premier League, even with a bottom end team fighting relegation, trumps playing Champions League with a team from a smaller league like Belgium.

Probably not how it should be, but it's a money game so that's how it is.

Ryan Christie leaving Celtic for a team in the Championship would be another example - the English second tier being preferable to European group stage football for him.

[JR89]

Think even if Anderlecht win the league and qualify for Europe they'll still look to sell him to make something off him and he'd still probably want to move back to England.

Could stay another season and get a bad injury which ruins his chances of getting a good move back home or a good move in general if other clubs in Europe show interest.

[Kingdom]

Anderlecht are in the end of season play offs in Belgium, and could go straight into the Champions League group stage, if that is the case, Cullen should stay where he is
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021%E2%80%9322_Belgian_First_Division_A#Play-Off_I

It will take a monumental effort from Les Mauves to win the league.
Union are on 37*
Brugge are on 36
Anderlecht 32
antwerp 32

if they don't beat Union in the first game they can pretty much kiss goodbye to any hopes. Union have done the double over them this season already, and relatively comfortably too.

Anderlecht have the cup final here on Monday, which they are favourites for too (and it's sold out).



* Points are halved from the regular season. Union St Gilloise' final game was abandoned 10 mins from the end due to rioting from the opposition fans. I don't think a decision has been made on that outcome yet. They are bottom and relegated, so it is plausible that the RBFF give the 3 points to USG, which would then put them 3 points ahead of Brugge, 7 on the other two.

[tetsujin1979]

https://frinkiac.com/img/S07E15/502268.jpg

[JR89]

Starts today in the Belgian Cup final against Gent who finished fifth in the regular season. Winners are guaranteed a place in the Europa League playoffs.

[JR89]

Lost 4-3 on penalties with Cullen missing one of the penalties.

[tetsujin1979]

First goal for Anderlecht today

[Kingdom]

First goal for Anderlecht today

Cullen clearly at fault for union's second goal to go two up, although he was put in a terrible position. His goal to pull one back was a very simple finish but great support play.

Anderlecht lost to Union comfortably 3-1, and with Brugge winning, it means its a straight shoot-out between Union and Brugge for the title. Anderlecht will almost certainly be guarenteed European football next season - they'll surely target beating antwerp on the bounce to get the Conference 3rd round spot; if they don't finish ahead of Antwerp they'll likely have a match against Mechelen or Genk for the Conference 2nd round spot.

[JR89]

Cullen to Burnley?

1519922221795495937

[tetsujin1979]

had thought that Bazunu to Anderlecht was a possibility with Kompany in charge

[JR89]

had thought that Bazunu to Anderlecht was a possibility with Kompany in charge

Don't think he'd drop the club captain for a loan signing.

[Kingdom]

Cullen to Burnley?

1519922221795495937

That would be a mistake by Burnley to appoint Kompany, a big mistake.

[Kingdom]

Don't think he'd drop the club captain for a loan signing.

Agreed, van Crombrugge is a fan favourite not to mention a solid keeper, and on the fringes of the Belgian squad.

[JR89]

Vincent Kompany has left Anderlecht and close to being announced as Burnley manager. Burnley needing a long term holding midfielder and Kompany's ties to City won't be long till we get the Cullen and Bazunu links to Burnley, with the possiblity Burnley will have to sell Pope.

[Razors left peg]

Hopefully not, hes better than the Championship

[ColourfulPeanut]

Is he though? Prior to moving his highest level was one full season in the Championship. Do two successful seasons in Belgium make him too good for the Championship? I would say it's at a similar level to the Championship. No way the majority of the opposition in Belgium are better than the top half of the Championship.

[Jd2793]

championship would be a step up, hopefully burnley can keep a hold of some players so they wouldnt be a train wreck if he joined.

[seanfhear]

Interesting, what it says about the Belgian League and Anderlecht that Vincent Kompany is willing to leave Anderlecht and the top league in Belgium for Burnley that have been relegated from the premiership and may lose / sell some of their best players. It suggests the Kompany considers the championship a higher level that where Anderlecht are. He would want to be getting serious and cast iron assurances about Burnley’s financial situation or else this is a bit of a gamble for Kompany. Many the prospective manger has been told tall tales in such a situation.

[nigel-harps1954]

Perhaps it's personal circumstances coming into play for Kompany as well. His wife is from Manchester, and probably favours a move back to England, seeing Burnley as a chance at a project and a stepping stone back to the Premier League.

Regardless, it would be a decent move for Cullen if Burnley can put together a half decent squad. Championship is still one of the top leagues in Europe in its own right.

[JR89]

Yeah I can't see Kompany taking the Burnley job without assurances that there would be funds available to help with the rebuild. Parachute payments would surely cover the repayments on the loan owed and the sales of some players would help towards the rebuild.

Though there's still a chance they'll do a Stoke and become a mid table championship team. Sheffield United and Norwich would look better moves atm. Leeds would probably be his best chance of starting for a Premier League team if he was to hold out for one. Though can see him going back to West Ham to replace Mark Noble as a squad player.

[elatedscum]

Yeah I can't see Kompany taking the Burnley job without assurances that there would be funds available to help with the rebuild. Parachute payments would surely cover the repayments on the loan owed and the sales of some players would help towards the rebuild.

Parachute Payment in Y1 will be about £45m, so they'd need to sell one other player to pay it off. Last two published seasons were £42.6m (18/19 and 19/20) and the season before those two was £41.6m. For most clubs, a good chunk of that money would be earmarked for wages - and a club with nearly a decade in the league mightn't have relegation wage reductions written into players' contracts. Obviously with Mee and Tarkowski coming off the books and Cornet sure to leave, the wage bill won't be massive. Their wage bill never was, by Premier League standards. Think they've never been outside the bottom 5 in that regard.

[JR89]

Parachute Payment in Y1 will be about £45m, so they'd need to sell one other player to pay it off. Last two published seasons were £42.6m (18/19 and 19/20) and the season before those two was £41.6m. For most clubs, a good chunk of that money would be earmarked for wages - and a club with nearly a decade in the league mightn't have relegation wage reductions written into players' contracts. Obviously with Mee and Tarkowski coming off the books and Cornet sure to leave, the wage bill won't be massive. Their wage bill never was, by Premier League standards. Think they've never been outside the bottom 5 in that regard.

Don't think the whole 65m has to be paid in full, they've to pay a portion of it this summer. I'd say Burnley are a club that would have relegation clauses included in their contracts. The first two times they came up to the premier league they were relegated straight back down and only got over 40 points in two of their six seasons since last coming up.

If Mee, Erik Pieters, and Ashley Barnes are all released in the summer then Brownhill will be the only player on 40k or more if this list is accurate. Though there's nothing there for Weghorst who could be on good money.

https://www.spotrac.com/epl/burnley-fc/payroll/2021/

[Razors left peg]

When Cullen played in the Championship for Charlton he was one of their best players. Hes already shown that he is more than capable of playing there and should be looking for Premiership club

[JR89]

When Cullen played in the Championship for Charlton he was one of their best players. Hes already shown that he is more than capable of playing there and should be looking for Premiership club

And Charlton were relegated that season. Did he even have offers from Championship teams when he left West Ham?. Not like he moved to Belgium for a big fee and is on something like €9k a week which would make him Luton's second highest paid player, and they've probably got one of if not the lowest wage budget. So teams weren't breaking the bank if they wanted him.

[Razors left peg]

I think its a case that I just think hes better than you do, lets see where he ends up. At this stage of his career I think it would be disappointing to see him go to the Championship

[CraftyToePoke]

The Cullen at Anderlecht sub plot has been one of the more interesting stories in Irish football in recent seasons, and fair play to him, it was not a given at all that he would go there & ace it. Liam Kelly from a very similar profile club apps wise, to a similar stature of club in Holland didn't.

It remains to be seen how this will translate re how he is viewed in the English game and what level of option it has opened up for him but a scan of the various footballers wages sites has him around the £6 to £8k mark, the same sites for example have him earning about 60 to 75% less than Hendrick / Hourihane. Think about that. He has ten years left if he is lucky, and I would expect him to address the earnings gap which the Belgian move was a stepping stone towards surely. I hope he is deemed worth a stable mid table club starting spot but if a yo yo / parachute payment contract is what comes his way, I can see him taking it & wouldn't blame him one bit. Anderlecht will be in European competition but not for long, they will get their ass handed to them well before Christmas and the extra multi thousands a week elsewhere will decide this above any brief European campaign.

Unless Anderlecht make him a top earner, not just at the club but in that country, which would be great to see.

[Demesne Lad]

HITC.com seem to be monitoring Belgian media, which noted Cullen's absence from Anderlecht's pre-season activities despite no reports of injury, and actually claim that he will be in Lancashire today (Monday) for a medical. HITC say that Anderlecht rejected £1.8m for him and that Burnley will have to pay £3m. If the transfer goes through, Cullen's original club - West Ham - will get a bit of the fee.

[Trequartista20]

Interesting article on Anderlecht's tactics under Kompany and Cullen's unique and hugely pivotal role in the team.

It's easy to see why he's so keen on signing Cullen and renewing their working relationship.

https://cafetactiques.com/2022/04/12/art-on-a-football-pitch-vincent-kompany-unique-4-4-2-tactics/

[Trequartista20]

Move to Burnley confirmed.

https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/content/clarets-capture-cullen

[Razors left peg]

I really hate this move. I understand it from a money point of view for him, he'll get big pay rise but hes already proven at that level and is more than capable of higher.

[SkStu]

I don’t mind it at all. He’s moved to a team that will likely return to the premier league pretty quickly and has followed an ambitious manager that loves him and trusts him in a very defined role in his formation. It has a lot of upside for him.

[Trequartista20]

'Burnley had seen previous bids rejected for the 26-year-old during extensive negotiations but have finally secured the services of a player who is understood to have turned down offers from La Liga and the Bundesliga in favour of reuniting with former boss Vincent Kompany.'


https://theathletic.com/news/josh-cullen-burnley-kompany-anderlecht-transfer/EhffgD1lo0U4/

[Razors left peg]

https://twitter.com/BurnleyOfficial/status/1546902017293131776?s=20&t=BuxkDtan5Q-mFV0cYtfEcg

He should immediately leave after this announcement video

[JR89]

Pity he turned down offers in the Bundesliga and La Liga, think he'd have done very well in Germany especially. The money and having worked with Kompany was probably enough to sway.

[JR89]

Was immense last night for Burnley, and can see why Kompany wanted him as he's a vital part in how he wants his teams to play. Calling it now that he'll be a PL player next season regardless of Burnley going up or not.

1553121617135521796

[Olé Olé]

Was immense last night for Burnley, and can see why Kompany wanted him as he's a vital part in how he wants his teams to play. Calling it now that he'll be a PL player next season regardless of Burnley going up or not.

1553121617135521796

3m... If they doubled their money and got 6m for him the buyers would still be getting a bargain.

[pineapple stu]

An assist today in a 3-1 win over Middlesbrough, which has them six points clear at the top now. A regular starter and finisher - has played 20 games and only twice been subbed off, and those both in injury time.

Looking good for promotion, but of course there's a big jump up to the Premier, and the promise of new players to come in.

[JR89]

Didn't he play every minute in the league for Anderlecht last season bar in one game where he came off when they were 6-0 up.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

Scores tonight. He's going to the premier League baby! The move to Anderlecht has really paid off.

[MancIrishWolf]

Appears to be the driving force in Burnley’s charge back to the PL. Interesting to hear Kompany say recently that with his attitude and determination difficult to predict his eventual level as he always surpasses expectation… https://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=67448&sid=46abba20d894a27a57082bf90b442b51

[paul_oshea]

"Early season I thought Cullen was a tidy midfielder but maybe a bit too safe and a bit of a sideways pass merchant."

If you had to write a job spec for the Irish midfield position over the last 15 years

Its proven to work for him going abroad to a seen to be lesser league and playing a different way. Hopefully a replica of what others in similar positions should do

[Olé Olé]

Appears to be the driving force in Burnley’s charge back to the PL. Interesting to hear Kompany say recently that with his attitude and determination difficult to predict his eventual level as he always surpasses expectation… https://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=67448&sid=46abba20d894a27a57082bf90b442b51

Some really interesting quotes in there. I particularly like the ones which speak to an improvement in him with him being more progressive in his play recently. That augurs well for Ireland. He has been immense for us but we are short of midfield creativity (like many sides) so there needed to be more from Molumby and Cullen in that regard. Hopefully it comes.

[paul_oshea]

I wouldn't say he's been immense ole. No one's been immense for Ireland since Kenny took over. We've mostly been very poor against generally poor opposition. Therefore I don't think we can say anyone's been immense. He's done a good job in his position though , what's been asked of him.

[Razors left peg]

I really hate this move. I understand it from a money point of view for him, he'll get big pay rise but hes already proven at that level and is more than capable of higher.

Seen this earlier on this page and in hindsight I was wrong about this one. He'll be in Premiership next season as a key member of the team rather than having gone to a Premiership team and trying to break in. The move has gone as well as it possibly could have.