Craig Bellamy has been linked with the Burnley job for some time, since the Wales manager was the assistant coach at Turf Moor under Vincent Kompany.

Craig Bellamy has had an interesting managerial career thus far, with the Welshman first joining the U-21 team coaching staff for Belgian side Anderlecht following the appointment of his former Manchester City teammate Vincent Kompany as first-team manager.

He later served as Kompany’s assistant before reconnecting with him at Burnley. In May 2024, after Kompany left to join Bayern Munich following Burnley’s relegation from the Premier League, Bellamy was appointed acting head coach for the time being.

However, not long after, Bellamy was named Wales manager. They were his first steps into a full-time senior post, and it is unknown whether he would desire to return to club football or manage the national squad ahead of Euro 2028. Of course, Bellamy’s Wales team will not be competing at the World Cup this summer after losing on penalties to Bosnia in Cardiff City in March.

Wales boss Craig Bellamy has decided to join Burnley.

With the 46-year-old in control of the national squad since July 2024, he may have hoped to continue in charge throughout the tournament, but Bellamy has been linked with Burnley since April as a replacement for Scott Parker.

It looked that Bellamy would remain as Wales manager rather than join Burnley, but the situation may have altered for the Welsh icon. It now appears that his future with the national squad is uncertain.

Burnley are thought to have taken a fresh approach to Bellamy in recent days, and Alan Nixon has provided an update. He claims Bellamy will do a “dramatic U-turn” to fill the position at Turf Moor.

Not only that, but he’s changing agents to do so, having “surprisingly” signed with Will Salthouse’s business to return to Burnley. Previously, he had frequently guaranteed his support for the national squad, but the package on offer at Turf Moor “is likely to change that.”

The move to Burnley makes so much sense for Craig Bellamy.

Bellamy’s return to Burnley makes a lot of sense on a personal level. While leaving Wales is a huge decision, the opportunity to coach a club with genuine Premier League ambitions is impossible to pass up. It might potentially boost his reputation far more than whatever he does with Wales.

Burnley has competed for automatic promotion in each of their previous three Championship campaigns and is expected to be among the favourites to do so again in 2026/27, providing Bellamy a genuine opportunity of securing top-flight football early on in his managerial career.

There’s also the financial issue to consider. According to a recent Nixon report, Bellamy is expected to receive a significant income hike at Turf Moor compared to his present Wales post. Burnley are providing Bellamy with an appealing platform to further his managerial career, given the club’s finances and expectations of success.

The questions revolve around his tactical competence and if he can get this club to receive parachute payouts. The league is strong next season, with many famous names and wealthy clubs, but Burnley expects to be among the contenders.