Former Everton and Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend admits he is disappointed to miss out on a return to the Premier League with Burnley.
The experienced free-agent obviously felt he had done enough.
After training with Vincent Kompany’s side throughout the summer – shining during a 2-0 pre-season victory over Portuguese giants Benfica – Andros Townsend was initially offered a one-year deal by a newly-promoted Burnley outfit.
“At the end of June, the beginning of July, I was invited to go and train at Burnley to keep fit,” Townsend tells talkSPORT (11 August, 10am). “They soon realised ‘this guy has still got it’.
“The manager (Kompany) said; ‘listen, we are interested. We are going to take you on tour to Portugal’. I went to Portugal, played very well against Benfica. The next day, I was offered a one-year deal.
“I went for a medical. Passed the medical. I thought; ‘I am ready to sign’.”
Andros Townsend sees Burnley deal collapse
There was, however, a sting in the tail
“As I’m in the shower, somebody from the coaching staff says; ‘the manager wants to see you in his office’. The contract was no longer on the table,” he explains.
Townsend adds that Burnley’s decision eventually came down to the fact that ‘other options they were looking at’ had suddenly become available. The Clarets brought in fellow widemen Jacob Bruun Larsen, Luca Koleosho and Nathan Redmond. Wilson Odobert and Dodi Lukebakio could also arrive before September 1st.
“It’s a decision I didn’t agree with,” Townsend finishes. “But that’s football.”
‘Brilliant’
The good news for a man capped 13 times by his country is that, after playing six games in three weeks over pre-season, other offers are starting to present themselves for Townsend.
“(Townsend has) been brilliant,” Kompany tells LancsLive; Burnley taking on Manchester City in Friday’s Premier League opener. “He’s fit, working hard. He’s 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 (his signing). 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.”
Odobert is set for a medical at Turf Moor ahead of a £17 million move. Burnley, meanwhile, could pay a further £10 million for Lukebakio.
