Vincent Kompany has explained why Burnley have ultimately opted not to sign Andros Townsend following his time on trial with the Clarets.

The 32-year-old is a free agent this summer after leaving Everton upon the expiry of his contract at Goodison Park. It soon emerged that he was training with the Clarets ahead of the new season.

Townsend featured in the club’s early pre-season friendlies leading up to the new campaign. However, as he had not signed a contract, he appeared on teamsheets simply as Trialist, and donned the number 31 shirt.

However, Burnley have opted not to go ahead with signing Townsend to a deal at Turf Moor. He has now left Burnley and is free to join another club.

Kompany explained that a deal was initially offered and terms were agreed with the former England international. However, there were some conditions which influenced whether this deal got over the line or not.

Chief among these was how the club’s recruitment developed over the summer, as well as how the Clarets fared in terms of injuires and if more bodies were needed. Nathan Redmond and Luca Koleosho have been recruited this summer in terms of wide men, complementing Manuel Benson and Anass Zaroury.

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With all that in mind, Kompany believed it no longer made sense to potentially sign Townsend. But the Clarets boss had nothing both good things to say about the winger and encouraged any managers who require a winger to consider him this summer.

Kompany said: “We initially made sure that we had terms agreed with Andros and we did offer him a deal. But it was pending on a couple of things, mainly where the recruitment was going for us and the recovery of some of the players that we had that were injured in pre-season, so it was quite transparent in that sense.

“But he’s been brilliant, he’s been fit, working hard, he’s been good for our dressing room, but in terms of what we already had in the building and the players we wanted to bring in, it just didn’t make sense for us to complete. But my advice is to any manager that is still looking for a winger to approach him. He’s shown very good signs for us in pre-season.”