Oliver Burke

Oliver Jasen Burke (born 7 April 1997) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a right winger or forward for EFL Championship club Birmingham City, on loan from Bundesliga club Werder Bremen.

Fifteen days later he opened the scoring in a 1–1 draw at 1. FC Köln, becoming the first Scot to score in Germany's top flight since Brian O'Neil for VfL Wolfsburg in November 1999.

Despite this early impact, Burke was regularly used as a substitute by Leipzig.

Their coaching staff praised his physical attributes, but questioned his tactical awareness.

He came through the academy at Nottingham Forest, signing a professional contract in September 2014 and making his debut the following February.

Burke signed his first professional contract with Nottingham Forest on 19 September 2014, before making his professional debut as an 87th-minute substitute during a 3–1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on 24 September.

He made his league debut on 14 February 2015 as a 64th-minute substitute in a 4–4 draw away to Blackpool.

Burke was sent on a month-long loan to League One club Bradford City on 24 February.

He made his debut for them on the same day, playing for 75 minutes in a 2–1 loss away to Swindon Town.

Burke made another start on 28 February in a 2–0 loss against Peterborough United and appeared twice as an unused substitute before returning to his parent club.

After his loan spell at Bradford City came to an end, Burke signed a three-year contract with Forest.

Ahead of the 2015–16 season, Burke signed another three-year contract with the club on 29 July.

Burke played for the club's reserves until December when he was called up to the first team by manager Dougie Freedman, whom Burke considered his mentor.

On 29 December, Burke scored his first goal for Forest from a curling shot hit with the outside of his right foot against Cardiff City.

His goal opened the scoring at the Cardiff City Stadium nine minutes into the game, which ended 1–1.

Burke ended the 2015–16 season having made twenty-one appearances in all competitions and scoring twice.

In August 2016, Burke signed for Bundesliga club RB Leipzig for a reported fee of £13 million, a record fee for a Scottish player.

A year later, having helped Leipzig to runners-up position in the league, he returned to England by signing for West Bromwich Albion for a fee of £15 million.

Burke scored his second goal for the club on 16 January 2016 in a 3–0 win over Bolton Wanderers.

His performance once again earned a contract extension on a four-year deal on 29 February.

Ahead of the 2016–17 season Burke made an impression in the pre-season friendlies, scoring three times in six matches.

Under the new management of Philippe Montanier, Burke scored in the opening game of the season, a 4–3 win over Burton Albion, and scored a brace two weeks later against Wigan Athletic.

Burke scored on his final appearance for Forest on 27 August, a 3–1 defeat of Leeds United.

Burke's early season form and performances attracted the interest of leading European and Premier League clubs, such as Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Sunderland and Liverpool.

However, Montanier dismissed suggestions of Burke leaving Forest.

On 28 August 2016, in a move that caused outrage among Forest supporters, who criticised the club's owner Fawaz Al-Hasawi, Burke joined newly promoted Bundesliga club RB Leipzig on a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

The deal was reported by BBC Sport to be worth around £13 million, which set a new record for a transfer involving a Scottish player.

On his debut for Leipzig, a home Bundesliga game against Borussia Dortmund on 10 September, Burke came on after 69 minutes in place of Yussuf Poulsen and provided an assist for Naby Keïta to score the only goal.

Burke returned to English football on 25 August 2017, moving to Premier League club West Bromwich Albion for a reported fee of £15 million, breaking his own record as the most expensive Scottish footballer.

He signed a five-year contract at the West Midlands club.

Burke said that he chose West Bromwich Albion as a way to have more game time, even though with Leipzig he could play in the Champions League.

He made his debut two days later, replacing goalscorer Jay Rodriguez for the final two minutes of a 1–1 home draw against Stoke City.

Owing to hamstring injury, he made only one other substitute appearance by mid-November and took part with the under-21 team in the EFL Trophy, scoring in a 2–1 group stage defeat at Coventry City on 7 November.

On 14 August 2018, Burke scored his first goal for the Baggies, the game's only in a home win over Luton Town in the first round of the EFL Cup.

He made only six total appearances in the first half of the season, of which three were in the Championship, all from the bench.

Following an unsuccessful few years at West Bromwich Albion, and loan spells at Celtic and Alavés, Burke joined Sheffield United in September 2020 in a swap deal involving Callum Robinson.

He played regularly in his first season at Sheffield United, but spent the second half of the next season on loan at Millwall and then returned to German football with Werder Bremen.

After half a season, he rejoined Millwall on loan, and 2023 signed for Birmingham City, also on loan.

Burke was born in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, but grew up in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, England where he joined local club Mowbray Rangers aged eight.

After one season at the club, he was scouted to join Nottingham Forest's Academy where he progressed for the next nine years.