Jozy Altidore has no idea that Burnley is supposedly interested in him

Jozy Altidore said that if he doesn't start playing more, he will have to leave Sunderland in January, which is reasonable. Now he is being tipped to possibly sign with Burnley, only Altidore has no idea about this supposed move, which is not reasonable.

It's transfer season!

According to the Star, Burnley have been tracking Altidore and may make a bid for the American. That is pretty believable, but if they had any real interest, odds are that the player would know something of it. Technically, the club can't have any contact with a player not under contract with them unless the team he plays for agrees, but that's not how things actually work. If Burnley want Altidore, they would ensure he was interested in a move there, probably through intermediaries.

So when the report was published, reporters asked Altidore about the Burnely interest. His response?

"I don't know," he said. "I never heard anything."

This is otherwise known as the Star overstating Burnley's interest or flat out making it up.

Regardless, it's unlikely that Altidore starts playing regularly for Sunderland. They have other options up top and, frankly, Altidore hasn't played well. That's not a winning combination and the Black Cats need wins. So odds are that Altidore will leave Sunderland in January, and that is good news for both he and the United States. Hopefully he can find a decent home.