Burnley completed the signing of Caen striker Andreas Hountondji for a reported £3.4 million fee earlier this week, as the Clarets add even more firepower to their attacking line.
The frontman has moved to Turf Moor on a four-year deal, having spent the previous campaign on loan at Ligue 2 side Rodez, whom he helped reach the play-offs in the French second tier.
The 22-year-old netted 14 goals in 34 appearances over the course of last season, and new Clarets boss Scott Parker has moved to bring the Benin International to Lancashire in the hope of helping them return straight back to the Premier League.
But despite his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis, Football League World’s resident Burnley fan Ben Livingstone isn’t sure their new striker has what it takes to help them in a promotion push.
Andreas Hountondji, Callum O’Hare comparison made after Burnley complete striker deal
Hountondji has been brought in to help aid a Burnley team who only managed to find the back of the net 41 times in the Premier League during the previous campaign, as the Clarets returned to the Football League after just 12 months in the top flight.
Having helped Rodez pip parent club Caen to the Ligue 2 play-offs last season, the frontman knows just what it takes to push at the top end of the table in search of promotion, as he proved to be the focal point for his loan side’s attack during his time there.
But despite all of that, Livingstone would have preferred a more well-known, cheaper alternative that has just joined a Championship rival.
The Clarets fan said: “I’m not convinced on it, to be honest.
“He could come and prove us all wrong, but I mean for £3.5 million, it’s not a low amount of money in Championship terms.
“I mean, there will obviously be a lot of teams at the top end of the table that will be spending big this summer, and I expect us to spend a fair bit of money.
“I can’t say I’ve seen him play football before, but looking off what you can see, I definitely want to say he’s a smart add-on.
“I’d more say it’s one of them where you’re looking at it thinking it’s a weird one, when we could have got Callum O’Hare in on a free, for example.
“I know they’re not exactly the same position, but you’re talking in that attacking line – or just behind – and he’s someone who’s proven at this level.
“I think when you play £3.5 million for someone like that though, it’s a strange decision.”
Andreas Hountondji adds to bulging Burnley squad
The arrival of Hountondji will more than likely signal the departure of at least one striker from Turf Moor this summer, but as it stands Burnley have plenty of firepower within their squad.
Jay Rodriguez, Manuel Benson and Wout Weghorst are among the attacking players still contracted to the club, as well as Nathan Redmond, Lyle Foster [pictured] and Anass Zaroury.
Zeki Amdouni, Darko Churlinov and Luca Koleosho are all also forward-minded players who still have over 12 months left on their current deals, while Michael Obafemi, Enock Agyei and Wilson Odobert are all also on the books.
With a list of strikers as long as his arm, Parker has his work cut out in sorting out the situation with his first-team squad for the season ahead, and Livingstone is alarmed at what the financial implications could be of having such a bloated squad.
He continued: “I find it strange how we seem to keep getting all these incomings coming in, and very little players going out. We need to generate some money and get some players out. We’ve got too big a squad as it is.”
