Leipzig the right call if Burke is to make a big impression
MICHAEL BALLACK has endorsed Oliver Burke’s shrewd decision to snub English Premier League interest to pursue a career in the Bundesliga.
The £13million Scot cited the record of many top-flight clubs like Chelsea sending their best young stars on loan as a key factor in his decision.
Burke could have visited Tottenham and there was interest from Arsenal, Manchester United and Stamford Bridge before he left Nottingham Forest for Red Bull Leipzig.
That’s where the 19-year-old was assured he would be an integral part of the first-team structure. Neither party has let the side down on that agreement since.
Burke scored on his full debut for his new club against Cologne. They lie fifth in the Bundesliga, four points off the early pace predictably set by Ballack’s former club Bayern Munich.
Ballack said: ‘When you are young, you want experience. The Bundesliga is where he can get that and Leipzig is a good choice. They want to play good football.
‘He needs to play. You have to play. As long as you play, you will improve. Then you’ve made the right step. If you make the wrong step at 19, I think it can cause more problems for yourself.
‘So when you make the move and you can play, then you have experiences — good games or bad games.
‘I think he can develop together with the club. To make mistakes. They allow young players to do that. No one expects too much but you’re playing in a good club.
‘Everything is in place at Leipzig for the improvement of a young player like him. It’s not a typical second-league team that has come up and is playing just to stay in the league.
‘They have different targets in the future. With all the excellent facilities they have — the training ground and professional help around players — it’s a really good move for him.’