Forest fans divided over Oliver Burke sale to RB Leipzig

Video: What the fans think of Oliver Burke being sold

Nottingham Forest fans have been left divided over the shock sale of winger Oliver Burke to German club RB Leipzig.

The 19-year-old winger’s transfer was announced by the Bundesliga club on Sunday after days of speculation about his future.

Forest are thought to have been handed around £13 million in the deal – which would make Burke the most expensive Scottish player ever.

But fans and commentators have been left divided over the transfer, which came after management at the club had said Burke was going nowhere in the current transfer window.

Some supporters said the deal made sense given the size of the fee for a player who had only made 13 senior starts for Forest.

But others say the sale could not have come at a worse time as the club were beginning to build momentum and apparently morale in the dressing room – off the back of some scintillating early-season performances by Burke.

Former Forest striker Stan Collymore Tweeted: “Forest would have that money, maybe more on the table for Burke come January or end of season. Dressing room will feel deflated.

“£13 million is great but that’s not the point. If #NFFC were run properly they wouldn’t need that money urgently.”

Many fans expressed anger at the deal

Forest chairman and owner Fawaz Al-Hasawi moved on Sunday to try to reassure supporters after the deal went through.

“I can assure all supporters that this money will be used and reinvested back into the squad,” he tweeted.

“I would just like to remind everybody that when we sold [Jamaal] Lascelles and [Karl] Darlow, we bought [Michail] Anontio and [Britt] Assombalonga.”

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Other fans said the deal would work out well for Burke and Forest’s transfer campaign

Burke signed off for Forest by scoring in Forest’s 3-1 win at home to Leeds United on Saturday.

The Reds are now expected to be busy before the transfer window closes at 11.30pm tomorrow night.

Burke himself tweeted a statement saying it was “a surprise” when he heard the club had agreed a deal to sell him.

He said: “I understand that the transfer fee received should help stabilise the club” adding he hoped the cash could help fund a promotion push.

He added: “Having understood the club’s decision to accept an offer, I quickly came to the conclusion it was time to move on and experience a new challenge.

“As for my new club, RB Leipzig, all I can say is that they wanted me and expressed a real hunger for me to join them and hopefully enhance their team.

He added the German club’s coach Ralf Rangnick was a “huge part” of his decision to choose the side over other interested clubs in Europe and and the UK.

Rangnick has become of the most highly-regarded managers in German football after guiding RB Leipzig to the Bundesliga from the the country’s second tier, and has coached six German league clubs despite only ever playing at amateur level.

 

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