Burnley are in talks over a deal that would see Lyon winger Maxwel Cornet move to the Premier League before the end of the summer transfer window, as reported by L’Equipe.
What do you want first Burnley fans – the good news or the bad news?
Well, if you want a more positive perspective Sean Dyche’s Clarets appear to be the only Premier League club in negotiations with the jet-heeled Ivory Coast international.
Leeds United were linked a few weeks ago but appear to have dropped out of the race after signing another left-sided player in the shape of former Barcelona man Junior Firpo.
Berlin rather than Leeds now rivalling Burnley for Maxwel Cornet
Now for the negative.
While Leeds have backed away from Cornet, the same can’t be said of Hertha Berlin. The German side, like Burnley, is discussing a deal for the versatile 24-year-old and has even made a bid, albeit one that falls short of Lyon’s asking price.
Hertha have offered £7 million. Peter Bosz’s Ligue 1 side, however, want closer to £9 million (BILD).
And, according to sources in France, Cornet would rather play his football in Berlin than Burnley, given the choice.
Arguably the Premier League’s most unfashionable club, the Clarets may need Hertha to go the same way as Leeds if they want to seal a deal for a man who, remarkably enough, has scored four of his six Champions League goals against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
“I was very impressed by the talent of Maxwel Cornet,” Guardiola said after Lyon’s 3-1 victory over the Premier League giants in the quarter-finals last year.
Formerly a chalk-booted winger, Cornet adapted impressively to a new-look left-back role during Rudi Garcia’s final season as Lyon coach.
Perhaps Burnley see Cornet as someone capable of providing competition for Charlie Taylor as well as Dwight McNeil, giving Dyche some much-needed depth as a tight-knit squad looks to avoid being stretched thin yet again in 2021/22.
Burnley have only signed two senior players this summer, £12 million Nathan Collins and former Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.
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