Burnley signed midfielder Josh Cullen in the summer from Belgian side Anderlecht, and the 26-year-old has been an instant hit.
Cullen worked under Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht, and the Belgian decided to bring the midfielder with him to Turf Moor at the start of this summer.
The 26-year-old has played 18 times in the Championship this season and has completed 90 minutes in every game he’s played in. The midfielder has become a crucial player in the way Kompany has changed the style of play at Turf Moor.
The Clarets are currently top of the Championship and are on course to seal promotion to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
This is something Cullen is eager for after already getting a small taste of Premier League football with West Ham United.
Cullen at the age of 19 came off the bench in 2015 in West Ham’s 3-0 win over Liverpool. However, the midfielder struggled to make an impact on a consistent basis and was loaned out of the Premier League club.
The 26-year-old has had spells at Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers, and Charlton Athletic before moving to Belgium to play under Kompany.
Cullen has gone on to discuss how he has improved as a player and how he wants another crack at Premier League football.
He told Lancashire Telegraph: “I’ve developed a lot of experience throughout different leagues, obviously my time at Anderlecht helped me see a totally different side of the game.
“I feel I’m a much better player now than I was then and if we can gain promotion, I’ll be feeling like I’m well-equipped and ready for the challenge of the Premier League.”
As well as being a regular for Burnley, the midfielder is also a regular on the international stage and could feature for Republic of Ireland on Thursday night as they take on Norway.
“These are the years that you dream of a young player and a young lad growing up,” he added.
“To be able to represent your country in the massive (Euro 2024) qualifiers we have coming up in the next year and to have the opportunity to try to fight and get into the Premier League is a massive thing in my career as well. I’m really looking forward to the future and what lies ahead.”
Cullen has become a key player for his country and was presented with the Player of the Year award this week.
“We know that we’re by no means the finished article and there’s still a lot to improve on as well, but I think we can take a lot of positives out of the last year and see improvements that we’ve made.
“We’ve probably been a little bit disappointed with not coming away with results we feel like we’ve deserved, so now it’s time to just make sure that when we do play well, we win games, it’s as simple as that.”
The Verdict
Kompany knew he would need to change the style of play Burnley has been playing in recent years if he had any chance of being successful.
One factor in changing that style was Kompany bringing Cullen from Anderlecht to Burnley, a midfielder known for being tidy and composed on the ball, and the position he plays would be crucial in the transition.
Cullen has been irreplaceable for the Clarets this season, with the midfielder playing every game he’s been available for. Burnley are favourites to gain promotion back to the Premier League, and Cullen will be hoping he and his teammates continue their form from the opening part of the season for the rest of the campaign, so the midfielder can show why he deserves to play in the Premier League.