Michael Obafemi: Burnley striker to miss start of the season because of injury

Burnley forward Michael Obafemi will miss the start of the Premier League season because of an injury he sustained on international duty.

He will have an operation this week.

Obafemi, who turns 23 on Thursday, signed a permanent deal with Burnley at the start of July after spending the second half of 2022-23 on loan at the club from Swansea City.

He scored twice in 12 league games, aiding Burnley’s promotion from the Championship as champions.

Burnley will host champions Manchester City in the opening match of the 2023-24 Premier League season.

JUST IN; Vincent Kompany’s Burnley agree to sign super star player from…..

Vincent Kompany’s Burnley add another defender, by agreeing to sign Borussia Dortmund teen centre-back Soumaila Coulibaly initially on loan, with an obligation to buy for £15m

Burnley have agreed to sign Borussia Dortmund centre-back Soumaila Coulibaly on an initial loan but with an obligation for £15million.

The French defender played his youth career at PSG, before spending two years developing his game with Dortmund in Germany, playing a Champions League game for the senior side as well as a raft of fixtures for the second team.

Now, Vincent Kompany‘s Burnley have come in to bring in Coulibaly, 19, to England, initially on a temporary basis.

If he is a success with Burnley during the Premier League season, after their instant promotion back from the Championship, then they will be expected to spend £15m on securing his services permanently.

Back in 2021, before signing for Dortmund, Coulibaly was of interest to Manchester United and Barcelona, although the centre-back opted for the challenge of the Bundesliga side instead.

Coulibaly, who is of Malian descent, was born in Montfermeil in northern France, and represented the European country at under-16 and under-17 level back in 2019.

Burnley have also bought in defenders Jordan Beyer and Dara O’Shea, as well as goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux during this transfer window, as the Clarets look to fight for Premier League survival.

They are also expected to buy Manchester City shot-stopper James Trafford for £19m. He made a name for himself with a late double-save to deny Spain in the closing minutes of England’s Under-21s Euros final win on Saturday evening.

The Clarets begin the new Premier League campaign with a trip to the Etihad on the evening of Friday August 11.