Maxwel Cornet boost for Burnley, with new signing not involved for Ivory Coast in red list country

Maxwel Cornet was not with the Ivory Coast squad for their opening World Cup qualifier in Mozambique yesterday - leaving the way clear for the new signing to be available for the Clarets at Everton a week on Monday.
Maxwel CornetMaxwel Cornet
Maxwel Cornet

The 24-year-old sealed a move from Lyon on Sunday, in a deal valued at around £12.85m by the Ligue 1 club.

But there were fears Cornet would be forced to isolate on his return from international duty, with Mozambique on the UK's COVID-19 red list.

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That would have meant he would not be available until the home game with Arsenal on Saturday, September 18th.

But Burnley have been boosted by the player not travelling to Mozambique, and he will now link up with the Elephants’ squad for the home game with Cameroon on Monday.

Ivory Coast drew 0-0 in Mozambique,

Cornet could still be given time to adapt to his new teammates, as boss Sean Dyche said on Sunday:

Asked whether he was excited about the signing, Dyche said: "I think that I look at all the players as a chance to come in and develop into what we do.

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"Excitement doesn’t make it work, hard work makes it work so I more look at are they winning, are they ready – and I think he is – so I am looking forward to him coming in and enjoying his football.

"The first thing he's going to bring is the chance to settle in, get used to the area, living here and what the club has to offer, and the team.

"We'll hopefully help him transition well, and look forward to giving him the freedom to come and play with us."

Cornet can play on either flank or at left back, and Dyche added on where he could be utilised: "We will see that when he gets here and gets used to what we do, and first of all we will fitness test him and see where he is at with that, and see how ready he is on a positional level and then we will look at the varying positions he can play and work out the best position we think he can be effective in for us.

"First thing’s first, he has got to get in the team."