News broke yesterday that Burnely have upped their bid for Jeff Hendrick, from a paltry £3 million to a slighty less paltry £5.5 million. Derby rejected the bid, as Nigel Pearson is understandably keen to cling on to Hendrick. The BBC's Pat Murphy (the journalist who became embroiled with Pearson over Ostrich-gate) broke the news yesterday:
Jeff Hendrick back training for @dcfcofficial Wed & club don't want to sell him. Burnley 2nd bid only about £5.5m.Pearson wants him 2 stay.
— Pat Murphy (@patmurphybbc) July 18, 2016
No need for @dcfcofficial to cash in by selling Hendrick,especially as sum offered is so low. Not as if Burnley an established PL club.
— Pat Murphy (@patmurphybbc) July 18, 2016
Hendrick deserves his chance in the Premier League, and while Derby seem eternally on the cusp of promotion before somehow finding a way of screwing it up, the Irishman should grab his chance to join the elite level of English football while he can.
Burnley, however, don't seem the ideal choice for Hendrick, given the fact that they are highly likely to get relegated upon arrival. A move to Turf Moor is not the only transfer Hendrick has been linked with: his name has also been mentioned alongside Galatasaray and Middlesbrough. While a move to Galatasaray would be fascinating - Hendrick would be the first Irish international ever to play in Turkey - a move to Middlesbrough would be ideal.
'Boro are making full of use of their Premier League windfall and the Iberian contacts of manager Aitor Karanka to build an extremely interesting squad. They have today completed the signing of Spanish striker Alvaro Negredo, formerly of Valencia and Manchester City, capable of goals like this:
https://youtu.be/qdEj7q9pG3A
In addition to that, 'Boro have signed Victor Valdes, ex-Liverpool defender Antonio Barragan, tied Gaston Ramirez to a new contract and are on the verge of tieing up a deal for Neven Subotic. This gilding of a team who have played together under Karanka since 2013 offers 'Boro a serious opportunity at staying up.
Furthermore, while Karanka often played 4-4-2 in the Championship last season, he increasingly changed to a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 system as the season wore on and promotion came ever closer, a style of play which would suit Hendrick greatly. While he is capable of sitting as part of a midfield pair, Hendrick excelled at the Euros as part of a midfield three, stationed further forward and slightly on the left.
With 'Boro against Premier League quality, and Negredo best playing as the lone striker, that is the system Karanka is most likely to play.
'Boro could be ideal for Hendrick. Let's hope that they realise how good Hendrick could for them.
