Leicester City have reportedly chosen Burnley’s Charlie Taylor as Ben Chilwell’s replacement; will Brendan Rodgers snatch Sean Dyche’s star man?
Burnley boss Sean Dyche has hailed the rapid rise of Charlie Taylor amid speculation linking the left-back with a summer move to Leicester City, while speaking to LancsLive.
The Foxes are well versed to preparing for life after their star players. N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, Harry Maguire and co have all been snatched away by Premier League rivals in the last few years but it is a credit to Leicester’s long-term planning and inspired recruitment that they are still, as it stands at least, the third best team in the Premier League.
With academy graduate-turned-first-team star Ben Chilwell emerging as a summer target for Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham, despite a difficult run of form since the turn of the year, you won’t find anyone inside the King Power wringing their hands.
In fact, Leicester have already identified Taylor as a ready-made replacement (the Times). However, convincing Burnley to sell the one-time Leeds United starlet might be easier said than done.
“I think he is a very good player,” Dyche has said about a man who set Burnley back a bargain £5 million.
“We want players to develop here regardless of contracts but when they sign long term contracts that is a view of them continuing their growth and he is one that is showing strong signs of that as he did last season.
“I have been very impressed with his performances and he is still learning. He is a very strong player physically and I think he is improving.”
As Leicester discovered last summer, a massive influx of cash can actually be more of a hindrance than a help.
Brendan Rodgers’ side earned £85 million from the sale of Maguire to Manchester United but, with a sizeable wad of notes burning a hole in their pocket, Burnley raised James Tarkowski’s price-tag to an eye-watering £40 million – a fee that Leicester simply weren’t wiling to stump up (the Sun, 16 December, page 63).
Could the Clarets repeat the trick with Taylor?
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