Burnley have reportedly made a £10 million bid for former AC Milan loanee Aster Vranckx as Vincent Kompany’s side prepare for their return to the Premier League.
With Dara O’Shea and Lawrence Vigoroux confirmed as Burnley players – arriving from West Bromwich Albion and Swindon Town respectively – Kompany’s Clarets squad is slowly but surely starting to take shape.
There is still work to be done, of course. A new goalkeeper remains a priority with Royal Antwerp’s Jean Butez now the target. A replacement for last season’s top scorer Nathan Tella may also be required, with Burnley reportedly at the front of the queue to sign £17 million Metz poacher Georges Mikautadze.
Kompany could also make good use of his Belgian connections again; Burnley aiming to bring in a player viewed as perhaps the crowning jewel of a new Rote Duivels generation a couple of years ago.
Aster Vranckx may be on his way to Burnley
A former Liverpool and Manchester City target, Aster Vranckx’s reputation is not quite what it was back in 2020 – especially after flopping on loan at AC Milan last term – but he remains a player of vast ability and potential at the age of just 20.
According to L’Equipe, Burnley are now offering the Wolfsburg-owned midfielder a fresh start. The Turf Moor outfit have made an offer of £10 million, not including bonuses. That may be enough to twist Wolfsburg’s arm, especially considering the Bundesliga outfit were willing to let Vranckx join AC Milan permanently for an identical sum.
Reportedly also wanted by Fulham and Crystal Palace; Vranckx was likened to former Burnley favourite Steven Defour during his formative years at KV Mechelen.
“100 per cent (Vranckx can be better than Defour). Or so I hope,” former team-mate Igor de Camargo said at the time.
“(He has) mentality, commitment, and certainly football ability). He has it all to play in the Premier League or Bundesliga. Physically he is almost ready.
“Defour was not at that age.”
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