Burnley formally move for 45 y/o manager who’s spent £290m in transfer fees

Burnley have reportedly begun looking to life without Vincent Kompany by eyeing up one of his former teammates to take over at Turf Moor.

Kompany heads for Germany

After managing just five wins in the Premier League across the 2023-24 season and seeing his Burnley side relegated, Vincent Kompany was a shock appointment for German giants Bayern Munich.

The Belgian, who spent time at Anderlecht before being appointed as the Clarets boss, had guided Burnley out of the Championship but struggled to compromise on his playing style in the top flight, a fact which ultimately cost the Lancashire outfit their place in it.

That did not stop Bayern from turning to him after a long list of failures in their attempts to hire a new coach, with the likes of Oliver Glasner, Unai Emery, Xabi Alonso and several more all touted for the role before turning it down.

Burnley revealed that “changing dynamics” made a move inevitable for the ex-Manchester City star, and have placed Craig Bellamy in interim charge while they hunt for a new boss.

“Whilst we were initially confident in retaining our manager, the changing dynamics of the situation made this impossible”, they wrote on X.

“We understand the allure and prestige of a club like Bayern Munich and respect Vincent’s ambition to explore new opportunities. We wish only the best for Vincent and would like to put on record our appreciation for his dedication every single day he was a part of this football club.”

After Steve Cooper turned down Burnley’s advances, they remain in search of a new manager. Now, they may have identified their man.

Talks to be held with 45 year-old coach

That comes as The Boot Room report that the club are ready to hold “formal talks” with former teammate of Kompany and Chelsea icon Frank Lampard over a return to the dugout.

The pair spent a season together at Manchester City, sharing the pitch on 20 occasions during the 2014/15 campaign, and both have since gone into management.

Lampard, who has had two spells as Chelsea boss as well as stints at Everton and Derby County, has been out of work since the end of the 2022-23 season.

Now, he has been offered a route back as the report claims that he had been “offered the head coach job” at Turf Moor, and that “talks are now underway” over a potential move to Lancashire.

Transfers will likely form a hot topic of conversation: Kompany spent liberally upon return to the Premier League, while Lampard can boast a transfer record that has seen him hire £290m worth of talent headed by the likes of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz.

Whether or not Burnley will be willing to match the ex-Chelsea man’s ambition on and off the pitch remains to be seen, but he certainly fits the mould of wanting a younger coach eager to prove himself, something he could do by securing promotion back to the top flight.