Burnley’s inability to identify a replacement prevented Leeds United from completing a move for Charlie Taylor in the summer.
According to Phil Hay of the Athletic, Leeds’ pursuit of Taylor was “doomed to fail” because Burnley lacked left-back coverage.
Taylor and Luke Thomas were reportedly Leeds’ primary targets when they were looking to add a new left-back in the summer.
Taylor wasn’t signed by Leeds because Burnley had no backup.
Taylor has struggled to make the team under Vincent Kompany, with loanee Ian Maatsen taking his spot as the starting center during their championship-winning season.
Maatsen chose to stay at Chelsea despite Burnley’s best efforts to lure him back to Turf Moor this summer, which included having a £31.5 million offer accepted on deadline day.
The only left-back currently available for Burnley is Taylor, who has yet to be named to a single matchday squad for any of their three Premier League games.
Burnley probably would have let Taylor leave if they had signed a replacement, but they plainly wasted too much time trying to get Maatsen, leaving them short.
Leeds’ inability to entice Taylor back to Elland Road is disappointing, but at the same time, they need to have set other goals.