After a month on the sidelines, Manuel Benson was counting down the minutes until returning to selection for Championship leaders Burnley. And who could blame him?
Vincent Kompany’s are side 16 points clear of third place. A matter of weeks away from promotion, the final stretch of the season is shaping up to be one long celebration at Turf Moor.
And Benson deserves to be at the front and centre of such champagne-soaked jubilation. Of all the brilliant signings Burnley made during the summer of 2022 – a fleet of new faces helping transform the Clarets into one of England’s most watchable sides – the £3 million addition from Royal Antwerp has made a bigger impact than most.
10 goals and five assists across 30 games; Benson is averaging a goal contribution every other match under Kompany, cutting inside from the right to devastating effect.
“He’s been brilliant,” EFL expert Sam Parkin told ITV (17th December, 9pm) after Benson scored both goals during a dramatic comeback victory over Middlesbrough. “He was electric.”
Former Rangers target Manuel Benson shining at Burnley
Benson’s left foot and explosive pace lead, at one point, to suggestions he could become Belgium’s very own Gareth Bale. Rangers also showed an interest around that time, according to Voetbal Nieuws. But it took the appointment of Kompany at Turf Moor for someone to finally take a punt on a man the former Anderlecht boss came up against during his days in the Jupiler League dugout.
And, with Burnley on the verge of the Championship title, the Clarets faithful will be very glad he did.
“Several factors pushed me towards Burnley,” Benson told LDH. “The choice of the project set up by Kompany was the most logical.
“I loved the way his Anderlecht played. I was really a fan of his style of play. He wanted to play like that at Burnley. The choice was quickly made.”
Rangers, some argue, have lacked a top-quality right-winger since Daniel Candeias departed four years ago; the likes of Scott Wright, Amad Diallo and Rabbi Matondo trying and failing to make the position their own.
One can only wonder how Benson would have adapted to life in the Glasgow goldfish bowl. His electrifying displays in the claret-and-blue of Burnley, however, may have Rangers wishing they had gone all in long before Benson was striking fear into the heart of Championship full-backs.
