With Mamelodi Sundowns star Khuliso Mudau linked with a move to Premier League side Burnley, we decided to analyse how the Clarets have been playing under Vincent Kompany and how the defender could fit in alongside his countryman Lyle Foster.
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Earlier this week, Soccer Laduma exclusively revealed that the Belgian coach has taken an interest in the versatile right-back, with the Lancashire side believed to have been impressed with the 28-year-old's performances for both club and country.
Mudau was a standout for Bafana Bafana in their most recent friendly against Ivory Coast, and continues to put on quality performances for Masandawana in the African Football League, but would his qualities be able to help what is, so far this season, a leaky defence under Kompany?
Burnley have conceded the joint-second-most goals in the English top flight in 2023/24 to date, with 27 strikes having gone into James Trafford's net. The interest in Mudau makes sense for the side as the former Manchester City central defender has seemingly struggled to decide who his favourite right-back is. Conor Roberts and Brazilian Vitinho have been the players who have been rotated within the position in the 2023/24 campaign thus far. The Belo Horizonte native seems to be the favoured fullback currently, having recently recovered from a knee injury, but the acquisition of the Musina native would provide adequate cover, and competition, for the younger fullback.
Against the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast, Mudau was able to prevent Premier League stalwart Wilfried Zaha from having a significant impact on the match. So, he, along with everybody else that would have been witnessing the 1-1 draw, will likely back his abilities against the best attackers in the world and nullify them.
A major reason for the many goals that Burnley have conceded this season, however, is the style of play Kompany has decided to implement. The English side play an extremely expansive brand of football, despite having just come up from the EFL Championship. One would've been under the impression that Kompany would try and be more pragmatic in the top flight, but the tone was set when, on their opening day of the league season against reigning champions City, the 38-year-old tactician implored his team to play the way they had been accustomed to in the second division.
They lost that match 3-0, but if Kompany insists on playing this way, then Mudau would be an amazing fit for his system. Under coach Rulani Mokwena, the defender's marauding runs down the right flank have been a trademark of his, with the four-cap SA international often finding himself in the box to either score or provide a cut-back for one of the team's strikers.
Foster has proven that he is more than capable of finding the back of the net in what is considered by many to be the best league in the world, but he has perhaps let down by the lack of opportunities provided from the wings, something Mudau is more than adept at. The Sundowns fullback is also able to invert, so he is well and truly a modern fullback fit for the most complex tactical systems in the world.
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What Mokwena has been able to do is introduce tactical systems akin to those of the best managers in the world, making his players attractive to prospective European suitors, and it seems that the man also known as "Sailor" has managed to make himself stand out within a quality African side. Having only joined Sundowns three years ago, Mudau seems to be vastly improving each season and should Burnley sign him, he will likely raise to the occasion in England as well.
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