Burke hoping Spanish step places him in shop window

IN three years, Oliver Burke has gone from twice being the most expensive Scottish footballer in history, to a man desperate to prove he can be a bargain signing somewhere.

An eye-watering £13million capture from Nottingham Forest by RB Leipzig in 2016, West Brom then paid £15m to land the pacy attacker in 2017 before that move also turned sour.

Burke initially impressed during a temporary stay at Celtic at the start of this year, but fell out of favour after Neil Lennon replaced Brendan Rodgers as manager.

Sent on loan to Alaves by the Baggies at the start of the current campaign, seven of his nine appearances in Spain have been off the bench. But the 22-year-old has still kick-started his career sufficiently in La Liga to get back into the Scotland squad.

The goal now is to tear up trees in Spain’s elite division in order to put down roots permanently somewhere once his loan spell ends next summer.

‘Hopefully, this move puts me in the shop window,’ said Burke.

‘I’m happy with where I am now. It’s such a great league as well, so I’m very happy. It’s going very well and I’m really enjoying it.

‘I wouldn’t say it’s far different from leagues in other countries I’ve played in. Maybe with some tactical things and the language barrier, but I feel like I’m learning a lot and they’ve made me very welcome.

‘I just have to focus on this loan I’m on now and take it all in. Hopefully, good things come from me going on loan and getting game time. That is the most important thing for me — and it’s coming slowly.

‘I’d love to be at a club and be the first name on the team-sheet every week, but I think that will come in time. I’m still at a good age and I’m just doing everything I can to learn the game.’

Despite Burke’s lack of firstteam action at club level, a dearth of options saw Steve Clarke start him up front in last month’s 4-0 loss to Russia in Moscow. He succumbed to injury during that match, however, and was replaced at half-time by Lawrence Shankland of Dundee United.

Now back fully fit, if Burke starts for Clarke’s injury-hit Scots in tomorrow’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Cyprus in Nicosia, he hopes to take his chances and stake his claim for further involvement in the concluding group match against Kazakhstan at Hampden on Tuesday.

The bigger picture for Kirkcaldy-born Burke (below) would be playing a part when the Scots face Nations League play-offs in March.

‘It’s unfortunate players can’t make the squad with injuries but that’s part of football,’ said Burke. ‘The players that have come in have just got to work hard and hopefully cement their spot.

‘After recent results, there is no better time for players to step up and cement their place in the team. Things have been tough, it can be difficult, but we have to be proud playing for our country and we have to play every game like it’s

our last.’