New Burnley boss Vincent Kompany is set for a major clear-out to generate funds to wheel and deal.
The Clarets are looking to bounce back to the Premier League after relegation last term. Targets include Blackpool’s £1million-rated right-back Jordan Gabriel,23, who impressed in the Championship last season in 25 appearances.
But Kompany has been told he needs to raise funds first with Newcastle keen on Burnley ’s England keeper Nick Pope. Full-backs Connor Roberts,26, and Matt Lowton,33, may also be offloaded along with midfielder Josh Brownhill,26, who has two years left on his contract.
Earlier this month Burnley confirmed that Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Erik Pieters, Aaron Lennon, Phil Bardsley and Dale Stephens will all leave at the end of their contracts this summer.
Ex- Arsenal trainee Gabriel has rebuilt his career after leaving the Gunners as a kid when he claimed his' dream was wrecked by favouritism in a damning indictment of their youth system. He was at Arsenal from the U9s to U15s after being spotted playing for Sunday league team Shelsdon Juniors.
Gabriel was part of a talented squad of 15-20 boys including Joe Willock, Tolaji Bola, Marcus McGuane, Charlie Gilmour, Josh Dasilva and Nathan Tella.
But Liam Brady released him and Gabriel has had to fight his way back from the rejection which hit him hard. Gabriel, who played as a winger and a midfielder as a kid for the Gunners, reflected: “We were all Arsenal fans in my family. My dreams had always been to play for Arsenal and to play at the Emirates, which I eventually did in the U14s.
“The ability our team had was frightening. When you went away for tournaments you went with your year group. I remember in 2006-2007 we went to Dirinon and won the tournament in France. But talent only gets you so far.
“If you have staff who want to push players through that helps. Not everyone had that. Coaches can have their favourites they are going to push, whether they have a bad attitude or not. So it is not always a nice atmosphere to be in.
“A lot of the time I didn't want to be there at Arsenal because of the atmosphere. Sometimes I didn't really want to go to training because you'd get picked on. The staff wouldn't really do anything about it.
“There was more chance of people being rewarded than punished. Coming through at a young age , you get a lot of knocks. Some people don't get up from that and they don't want to go through that. They put it aside and drop out of football because they lose belief.
“I remember being released like yesterday. I went in with my dad and had the conversation when Liam Brady said: 'there is potential there and we love having you but I am not quite sure we can see you getting a contract later on'.
“That is when my dad said: 'It is probably best that we split paths'. From that I literally left the office, got in the car and didn't look back. It was massively heart-breaking. You felt shock and hurt."
