Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to loan David Datro Fofana to Burnley for the remainder of the season should be a good fit for all parties, assuming the transfer goes through. The youngster struggled on and off the field at Union Berlin in the first half of the season, and he is now preparing for a six-month stint working under Premier League legend Vincent Kompany to try to put things right.
Fofana joined Chelsea as part of Todd Boehly’s youthful recruitment drive in January of last year. The striker had scored 22 goals in all competitions while still a teenager in Norway the season before his move to Stamford Bridge.
Fofana failed to establish himself in the Blues’ first team after a handful of appearances in 2022/23, and he was loaned out to Union Berlin during the summer. In 17 appearances for the Bundesliga club, the 21-year-old scored twice and assisted once.
However, the on-loan Chelsea prospect was having a difficult time, as Union sporting director Oliver Runhert told Tag 24: “Changing the results is not that easy for a young player.” He also had personal issues.
Senior figures at Stamford Bridge decided to recall Fofana from his loan in Germany and arrange for another loan spell away. Sevilla were rumored to be interested in signing him before The Athletic reported that Burnley are on the verge of completing the deal.
The forward is expected to complete his medical within the next 24 hours before joining the Clarets’ fight for Premier League survival. Burnley is currently 19th in the table, five points adrift of safety.
