- Free agent Andros Townsend had agreed terms with Burnley in the summer
- The Clarets pulled the offer after signing Luca Koleosho and Zeki Amdouni
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Andros Townsend has revealed he broke down in tears after a move to Burnley collapsed over the summer.
The 32-year-old looked set to join Vincent Kompany’s side in the transfer window as a free agent and had agreed terms with the club after a successful trial.
The winger trained with the Clarets in the summer and featured in their pre-season games as he looked to build up fitness after missing the whole of last season with an ACL injury.
Burnley, however, pulled the offer amid concerns signing Townsend may limit the development of young summer signings Luca Koleosho, 22, and Zeki Amdouni, 19.
And Townsend admitted being told he would not join Burnley was a tough blow to take.
Andros Townsend has revealed he broke down after a move to Burnley collapsed
‘If I was bad and knew I wasn’t going to get a contract I could prepare myself,’ he told BBC Radio 5’s Monday Night Club.
‘But to be looking at houses, looking at schools, talking about squad numbers and then to be told the contract is no longer on offer, it rocked my world.
‘I argued my point, put my case forward.
‘That I offer something different, that I’m comfortable being a squad player and good around the squad even when not playing.’
The former Spurs and Crystal Palace player, however, admitted he understood why Kompany decided against signing him.
‘Burnley are a club that like sellable assets, so begrudgingly I understand why he [Kompany] made that decision not to block their pathway by signing a 32-year-old,’ he said.
Townsend, who remains a free agent after leaving Everton at the end of last season, added he was on the verge of signing for a Turkish club on deadline day but the move never materialised.
‘I was in Turkey the whole of deadline day,’ he explained.
Vincent Kompany’s side had agreed terms with the free agent, but pulled their offer
The 32-year-old trained with the Clarets over the summer and featured in pre-season games
‘An agent said: “100 per…