Leicester City are set to renew their interest in James Tarkowski but Burnley are unlikely to accept a bid lower than his £50 million release clause, according to The Mirror (12 August, page 54).
Equal parts commanding, equal parts classy and cultured, there is a reason why this England international centre-half was identified by Brendan Rodgers as the ideal man to replace Harry Maguire last summer.
Stylistically speaking, Tarkowski and Maguire are one and the same after all – defenders with a warrior’s spirit coupled with a modern, ball-playing style which makes them a perfect fit for a possession-heavy Leicester side.
And while the Foxes are expected to keep hold of Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu this summer, qualification for the Europa League means they could do with some added depth at the back.
The Mail, however, claimed last week that Burnley would not accept a penny less than £50 million, protected as they are by a mammoth release clause.
Will Leicester really pay a club-record fee for a man would not even be guaranteed a place in Rodgers’s starting XI?
The Mirror does add, however, that Tarkowski sees a potential move to the King Power ‘with good eyes’ – to borrow a continental expression.
With all due respect to a Burnley side who continue to confound the critics on an annual basis, the former Brentford stopper knows that moving to Leicester would boost his international prospects ahead of the 2021 European Championships.
So far, Tarwkowski has just two caps – both of those coming in 2018.
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