Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier has advised Arsenal target, Dwight McNeil not to rush into making a move to a bigger club.
The former Tottenham full-back who also started his career at Burnley has warned the 20-year-old to take his time and develop his career further at Turf Moor before making the leap.
McNeil has been one of England’s most outstanding young players in the Premier League this season. He has performed so well that he has been asked to join the senior England National Team in training.
He remains a target of the Premier League’s biggest sides and Arsenal is looking at bringing him in when the transfer window reopens.
Trippier, however, recalled how he struggled to win a starting spot when he made his move from Burnley to Tottenham earlier in his career.
He advised McNeil to stay put because his development might be affected by transferring to a bigger team that may offer him fewer chances to play.
“Dwight has burst onto the scene, and when he trained with us last season for England he was brilliant,” Trippier told the Burnley Express.
“He’s got to stay focused, keep performing well while he’s young, and his time will come.
“I’d say ‘don’t rush anything, just keep playing’ and Dwight is at the right club to do that. He just needs to keep playing games, because that’s the most important thing for somebody his age.
“He’s got the right manager to guide him and he’ll be in no rush to go anywhere. If I was him I’d stay put and keep playing games.”
He also remembered the situation he found himself when he first moved to Tottenham.
“Sometimes it can be difficult when you go to another club. I’ve experienced it,” the right-back recalled.
“I went to Tottenham and I didn’t play for months and you get frustrated.
“For somebody like him, who is doing really well, why would you move now? There’s no point. Just keep performing well on the biggest stage and stay put.
“I was in a different situation to him, I’d just been relegated so I needed to go to a Premier League club.
“He’s playing well week in week out for a Premier League club. He’s a big player for Burnley. I’d stay put if I was him and keep enjoying his football.”
He’s only 20?!! Wow!! He’s been so good for Burnley, surely it’s only a matter of time before he leaves them for pastures new… Newcastle are also interested…
Seen him play he can only get better. Though I believe we already have many youngsters in the team, and the likes of papa,mkhi, and to some extent auba and laca due to their contract situation will be moved on. We’ll need some experience in the team
A very talented young player who will at some stage leave Burnley for the likes of Liverpool or Man Utd as neither of these sides have a natural, left footed, left winger.