Burnley midfielder sends promising injury message after major contract boost ahead of Leeds United clash
Burnley could be about to welcome back a key player ahead of facing Leeds United.
Burnley midfielder Josh Cullen is closing in on a return to fitness and hopes to be back ‘in the very near future’, with his side due at Leeds United on Saturday.
Cullen missed Burnley’s last two games before the September international break due to what Scott Parker described as a ‘minor-ish knock’, also missing out on representing the Republic of Ireland. In his absence, the Clarets took just one point from meetings with Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers, having won two from two with the midfielder present.
The 28-year-old was given a slight chance of featuring against Blackburn with a more realistic return coming after the break, and on Monday put pen to paper on a three-year contract with the option of a further year at Turf Moor. And reflecting on the personal boost, Cullen suggested a return to action could be on the horizon.
“It’s always good to commit your future to the club - a club that in the two years I’ve been here has really felt like home,” Cullen told Clarets+. “I have a good relationship with everyone around the club and the fans. I feel happy here.
“I’m just eager now to get back to work this season and get the club back to where it belongs in the Premier League. It’s been frustrating [being injured] but thankfully I’m coming to the end of that period now and hopefully I will be back in action in the very near future.”
It remains to be seen whether Cullen will be fit in time to face Leeds this weekend, but his return would provide a major boost for a Burnley side already struggling with squad depth issues. Parker went into the break with a nine-strong injury list and is now sweating on the fitness of Connor Roberts, who was forced off in the first-half of Wales’ 2-1 UEFA Nations League win over Montenegro on Monday evening.
Cullen does have a chance of proving his fitness before Saturday’s trip to Elland Road, alongside longer-term absentees Enock Agyei and Hannes Delcroix, while Manuel Benson and Maxime Esteve picked up knocks during the draw against Blackburn. “I’m not sure at this present moment in time, I’ve not spoken to them,” Parker said of the pair last week. “Benny obviously just walked off so I don’t know the full severity of his injury and Maxime looked to be struggling with his hamstring, so we will have to check that.”
Jordan Beyer, Hjalmar Ekdal, Aaron Ramsey and Nathan Redmond are expected to be out for Saturday’s trip to LS11, leaving Burnley with as many as 10 absentees if none of the aforementioned names return. Leeds, meanwhile, were without Patrick Bamford and Dan James for the 2-0 win over Hull City, with both battling hamstring injuries. Daniel Farke will likely be quizzed on the pair in his press conference later this week.