Missed opportunity | James Tarkowski was disappointed not to secure a move away from Burnley
(Picture: Getty Images)James Tarkowski says he is "not bitter" about missing out on a move to West Ham during the transfer window, but has revealed that he will not sign a new deal with Burnley.
The Hammers, along with Leicester City, saw offers for the England defender turned down ahead of the new season as David Moyes looked to bolster his defensive ranks with an experienced Premier League presence.
Burnley were holding out for a deal which would have reached up to £40million after add-ons, but the Hammers were unwilling to meet such a price on a tight budget.
Tarkowski, who will turn 28 this month, was keen to move on in order to give himself the best chance of making Gareth Southgate's squad for the European Championships next summer, and while hoping to take further control of his career, insists it has not ruined his relationship with Burnley.
Tarkowski is hoping to revive his England career
AFP via Getty Images“I’m not bitter about the last transfer window, what happened, happened," Tarkowski told The Telegraph. "I will never hold it against the club. That’s up to them, but the longer this goes on the more control I get of my own career which is what I want. I want to be able to decide where I am, where I’m going and who I’m playing for. That’s nothing against Burnley, but this is a short career and I’m not getting younger. I’m coming into my late 20s now and I want to experience as much as I can in the game before I retire.
“The last window is obviously a missed opportunity for me. If clubs can’t get the player they want then they will go elsewhere and sign someone else, but I don’t worry too much about it because I’ve got great belief in myself.”
Tarkowski's current deal, which includes a sell-on clause for three of the Premier League's biggest clubs but none outside of that, expires in 2022 and will not be renewed as the defender looks to move on in his career.
“Burnley offered me a contract near the start of last season, which, for me personally, it was nowhere near what I was going to sign and I think the club understood," he said. "And they’ve come back again this year, and still, for me, it’s just not right.
“Finances do matter, but, at this particular stage, whatever path I take I will get financially rewarded so the financial side is not even in my thinking at the moment. It’s more about my football.”
