Young central defender Harris O’Connor has joined Premier League side Burnley on trial for a period ahead of the start of the 2021/22 season. The Daily Record reported that the 19-year-old defender has joined the Clarets shortly after leaving Scottish Premiership champions Rangers this summer.
The abovementioned Scottish media outlet had earlier reported that Stoke City and Sunderland were interested in the player. Apart from Sunderland and Stoke City, newly promoted Premier League team Watford were also said to be interested in signing the Scottish player.
19-year-old O’Connor has opted to join Burnley on trial with the hope of signing a contract. To this effect, Stoke City, Sunderland and even Watford might find it difficult to sign him especially if he impresses manager Sean Dyche and his coaching staff at Turf Moor.
Burnley have stayed ahead of the other interested teams in the race to sign O’Connor by giving the young centre back a trial. The decision to hand him a trial has made the Clarets the favourites to sign him ahead of Watford, League One giants Sunderland and Championship team Stoke City.
Young Scottish centre back O’Connor left Scottish Premiership giants Rangers earlier this summer without playing a single game for the first team squad currently managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. It was Gerrard who led the Gers to their first title in a decade last season.
O’Connor missed out on the title-winning squad at Rangers under Gerrard as he was on loan at Brechin City whom he was unable to stop from suffering demotion to the Highland League. He made 12 appearances for Brechin City during his loan spell at the club last season. O’Connor is on course to make the step up from Scottish football to English football.
Scottish defender O’Connor is expected to join the u23 setup at Burnley. He has already featured for the Clarets in a friendly match.