Following his departure from Championship opponent Watford, 19-year-old defender Hamzat Balogun has signed with Burnley. After just six games in the 2024–25 season, Burnley is now ranked third in the standings. The only team they lost to was Sunderland, who were one spot above them in the league. Last time out, skipper Josh Brownhill’s late goal gave Scott Parker’s team a thrilling victory over recently promoted Portsmouth, their fourth of the new campaign. The Clarets are a team that is constantly searching for their next transfer target. Although the window has long since closed, there is frequently room for academy-level acquisitions outside of its parameters. As stated on the team’s official website, Burnley has now finalized an agreement to acquire teenage defender Hamzat Balogun. After making an impression during his trial, the 19-year-old defender signed a deal with the Championship team that will last until next summer. After being released by Watford, a competing team in the second division, in the summer, he will join the U21 team. Trying to make an impression Balogun, who spent time in the Manchester United and Watford setups, will be hopeful that Burnley, following an outstanding trial, is the place he can break into the senior game. Although he has already attracted enough attention to get a contract at Turf Moor, it will be more difficult to secure an extended term that extends past the end of this campaign. The young player’s promising career has seen most of his playing time at the youth level, while he has some senior experience from a loan with non-league team Bedford Town. Meanwhile… Parker will be looking for more of the same from his first-team players as they battle to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, while Balogun and his new Burnley youth teammates want to impress. The summer might have been a hard one but the Clarets surely have a squad capable of fighting it out at the very top of the Championship table. It is evident from their four victories out of six games. Parker will be hopeful his team can upset Oxford United, another newly promoted team, following their late victory against Portsmouth. The team led by Des Buckingham has performed much better than most predicted. They have won all three of their home games and are ranked tenth in the division.
