As Burnley’s 2023-24 season drew to a close, The Athletic asked manager Vincent Kompany about Wilson Odobert. The 19-year-old had been a key factor in an upturn in form that had given the club at least a fighting chance of an improbable escape from relegation back to the Championship.
Kompany’s answer was not exactly riddled with superlatives, but didn’t mask his admiration for the youngster Tottenham Hotspur signed on Friday for an initial £25million ($32.3m).
“I will almost refrain from what I really think about him, because at this moment in time I don’t think people realise how good he is,” the then Burnley boss said.
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“He’s playing in a team that is playing for survival, but the things he’s able to do — whether it’s defending or whether it’s attacking… like I said, I will refrain from what I really think because I don’t want to jinx it; I don’t want to create a situation where the expectations become too big for him too soon.”
‘Tell me you think a player has huge potential without actually saying that’, right?
At the beginning of that season, Kompany had suggested at least one member of his squad — a group largely made up of young players who’d been bought on the basis of their potential — would one day be worth £100million. By the end of it in May, it was Odobert who had done the most to enhance his reputation. Although that kind of fee is still a long way off, if his rate of development continues, maybe one day he will be talked about in that nine-figure bracket.
Tottenham are paying £25million for his signature, with potentially around £5m more to follow in add-ons. It is a deal that suits all parties. Burnley are set to triple their money on a player signed 12 months ago, Odobert makes a swift return to the Premier League and Spurs have added a young, exciting talent with plenty of first-team experience under his belt already.
The France youth international arrived in England from Ligue 1 side Troyes this week last August and was viewed as a developmental project. Then 18, his talent was obvious but Kompany was keen to protect the youngster and ease him into Burnley’s first team.
After following the plan in the season’s early weeks — including the opening goal in the 4-1 defeat against Chelsea in October that was his first Premier League start — an injury to Luca Koleosho in December forced Kompany’s hand. Odobert grasped his opportunity and retained his place in the starting line-up for the final six months of the campaign.
Odobert’s stand-out attribute is his positivity when he receives the ball: per Opta, 36.2 per cent of his carries were considered progressive last season, the highest proportion for any player in the division, underlining how important an outlet he was for Burnley. He is technically gifted, can skip away from defenders with ease and attempts a lot of take-ons relative to how often he runs with the ball.
As we can see from the graphic below, his instinct is to be very positive and face up to his man whenever he has possession.
The average distance of his carries is also very high — 7.9 metres, the fourth highest in the Premier League last year. We can see from his forward carries map that he’s effective at driving into the opposition box.
One example of that was against Liverpool in late December, when he left Trent Alexander-Arnold for dead, skipping past him and delivering a dangerous cross for Johann Berg Gudmundsson, but the Iceland international headed the chance over.
His four goals and two assists in 33 appearances across all competitions for Burnley last season did not paint the full picture of Odobert’s influence and creativity. He created the most chances from open play (31), the most big chances (7) and had the most touches in the opposition box (104) of anyone in Burnley’s squad last season.
Against Brighton & Hove Albion in April, for example, he should have picked up two assists following two fabulous deliveries, but first Jacob Bruun Larsen…
… and then David Datro Fofana…
… passed up glorious chances from his excellent crosses. The second was a perfect example of Odobert taking on his man, earning a yard and whipping a ball across the face of goal.
While he predominantly operated on the left flank for Burnley, Odobert demonstrated his versatility by also playing on the opposite wing and as a No 10 in the closing months of the season. These switches by Kompany furthered his tactical development and understanding of how to position himself in each role. Displacing Son Heung-min from the left-winger role at Tottenham will be very tough, but the teenager’s versatility means he can earn minutes in other roles too.
Stepping up to a top-six side should also help him. Last season, there were days when Odobert would become an anonymous, isolated figure on Burnley’s left side. He was, of course, playing for a relegation-bound team who struggled for control and possession and left their attacking players feeding off scraps, winning only five of their 38 league matches.
During those games, he would frequently come alive for 10-minute spells, carrying Burnley’s creative threat, but he was unable to sustain that over a full match often enough. Kompany’s late-season decision to move him into central areas increased his involvement.
Not all of Odobert’s best work happens when the ball is glued to his feet — it comes before it, as he stretches the pitch vertically.
In the opening game of Burnley’s Championship campaign against Luton Town last week, he showed his speed and movement to latch on to a long pass from Connor Roberts and score Burnley’s second goal in a 4-1 away win.
It became a more prominent aspect of his game during the course of last season.
This late assist against Fulham in February is another example. Odobert is played in by Gudmundsson, drives into the box and finds Fofana, who scores the equaliser as Burnley snatch a draw.
He also has an eye for the spectacular — two of his three Premier League goals were scored from outside the area.
Odobert is far from the finished product, but his talent is obvious.
This is a signing in line with Tottenham’s strategy of signing young players with high ceilings, and while his impact may not be felt immediately, he is a player who has the potential to become a regular in Ange Postecoglou’s starting XI.
Additional reporting: Thom Harris
(Top photo: Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)