Vincent Kompany has added four fresh faces to his newly promoted Burnley side already this summer, but the Premier League rebuild has only just begun as the Clarets look set to sign 19-year-old defender Soumaila Coulibaly.
According to both BBC Sport and Fabrizio Romano, the deal is already agreed to see the youngster arrive at Turf Moor.
The Frenchman came through the academy ranks at Paris Saint-Germain, but rejected the chance to sign professional terms with Ligue 1’s top dogs in the quest to attain first team football.
Coulibaly joined Borussia Dortmund upon the expiration of his contract at PSG in the summer of 2021, but has predominantly featured for the German giant’s reserves and academy set-ups ever since.
He did, however, make two appearances for BVB’s first team; one in the Bundesliga and one in the Champions League, both off the bench. The time has now come for the teenager to move on once again in the hopes of regular playing time, and it is the Clarets who are looking to take full advantage.
Kompany’s side are set to acquire Coulibaly on a season-long loan move with a mandatory £15m buy option, meaning his service to Burnley will be made permanent in the summer of 2024.
Is Coulibaly a key part of the defensive rebuild?
The 19-year-old will become the third defensive addition of the transfer window, following the signings of West Bromwich Albion’s Dara O’Shea and Borussia Monchengladbach’s Jordan Beyer. The latter of which spent last season on loan with Burnley in the Championship.
Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford is also on the verge of joining Kompany’s Clarets, showing a clear transfer strategy of building from the back ahead of their return to the top flight.
Many are already touting Burnley to avoid the drop next season. With a few more signings of this pedigree, it would be hard to argue against promising signs for the Lancashire outfit.