What Can Sander Berge Provide to Burnley’s Midfield?

From the moment Sander Berge stepped through the doors at Sheffield United, it seemed he was destined for a move away. Arriving in January 2020 for a then club-record £22m fee, the Norwegian's talent has never been in question and with over 100 appearances for The Blades, neither was his loyalty. But having now made the move to fellow newly promoted side Burnley, can Berge push on and announce himself to the Premier League at the second time of asking?

Berge endured a tough start to life in England but played an integral role as Sheffield United bounced back to the topflight last season. The definition of box-to-box, Berge's ball-carrying ability instantly stood out to Burnley manager Vincent Kompany, "he's an intelligent footballer with a great eye for a pass and the ability to run with the ball."

As Kompany alluded to, Berge is also able to influence the attacking phases of play with his line-breaking passes and an eye for goal. Having perfected the art of the last-man run, Berge netted six goals last season, and Burnley will hope he can add some incision to a midfield that has relied heavily on Josh Brownhill's output. 

Brownhill, who was instrumental in Burnley's promotion, didn't start on the opening day of the season against Manchester City and has since been linked with a move away. The 27-year-old's potential departure would see Berge shoulder more attacking responsibility, though it's yet to be seen whether Kompany's change in formation, which saw Brownhill drop out of the starting XI, will become a permanent fixture of Burnley's play this season.