Oliver Burke: The inside track on West Brom's latest signing

Luke Hatfield spoke to Bundesliga expert Jonny Walsh, who co-hosts The Score, to get the inside track on West Brom's new signing Oliver Burke, who has joined Albion from Red Bull Leipzig.

What can West Brom fans expect to see from Oliver Burke?

I think they’ll find a more refined version of the player that caught everyone’s eye at Nottingham Forest.

Of course, playing time is a concern but a year of learning a new way of life, a new language and new tactical system will have aided his maturity.

If that raw talent that sparked the initial interest is still present, then they will certainly be excited.

What are Burke's best and worst qualities, in your eyes?

Leipzig took the gamble that he could adapt tactically, and unfortunately it seems like that proved just too much.

However, a new understanding in how to press will have surely made its way across to Burke in some form.

His power, pace and directness all combine into one package that is very hard to stop.

His final ball and finish could do with some work to improve upon his effectiveness further, however.

Costing a possible total of £15m, do you think he represents value for money for Albion?

Burke is still 20 and it’s clear he still has his best years ahead of him, and after a year in Germany it seems like a good deal for all.

If he can get back to the player he was at Forest and given his experience in English football, it shouldn’t take too long for him to adapt back to English football.

It’s hard to find a player of his ilk with previous English football experience for just £15m.

Where is Burke's best position, for you, and why?

As much as he can play across the front three, I think we’ve always seen the best of Burke on the right wing.

He seems much more natural there, and has got the best return from playing as a right-sided player in comparison to other attacking positions.

I’m sure he wouldn’t begrudge playing on either wing, as it gives him more space to run at defenders and use his pace and strength.

Why didn't he really find himself starting regularly at RB Leipzig?

It seemed that the tactical side of things really brought him down. That, and the form of others.

Given RB Leipzig’s high press, fitting into that system was vital and it appears that Burke never quite got to the grips or rigours of that.

How did he perform in the Bundesliga?

It’s hard to evaluate his time in Germany fairly given that 20 of his 25 appearances in Bundesliga came as a substitute.

His pace late on in games was always a threat, but after the assist against Borussia Dortmund it was always going to be hard to live up to that.

After so long waiting for his chance, a fresh start is perhaps best for all parties involved.

How far do you think Burke can go in football? Does he have the quality to be a hit in the Premier League?

Power and pace are always going to be useful in the Premier League, no matter the position.

Burke has both of those qualities, and with a front-man like Rondon and the chance to really make the best use of his direct running, it should be a good fit.

Whether he can go on to become one of the division’s best and live up to his early hype remains to be seen.

West Brom are known for their ability to defend, do you think Burke can fit into a side with such a defensive mindset?

I think he can be another very useful outlet.

With some already useful players in attack, few have the blistering pace to match that of Burke.

Combined with his physicality, the Scot could be a useful option on the counter to really alleviate some of the pressure if the Baggies have been behind the ball for a long time.

In your mind, who does Burke compare to in world football? What kind of player do you think he could develop into?

It’s hard to bring about similar players to Burke, especially given his age and relative inexperience at the top level.

I think he can become a really solid Premier League player for West Brom and, if he can find his old form, could well be attracting the attentions of the top six and beyond.

You can follow Jonny on Twitter by searching for @jonathanwalsh_.