Championship outfit Burnley have failed with a £3 million bid for Jackson Muleka with Standard Liege demanding £4.5 million for a striker who has caught Vincent Kompany’s eye, as reported by Milliyet.
With Scott Twine and Luke McNally through the door – two of League One’s brightest talents joining from MK Dons and Oxford United for a combined fee of around £6 million – Burnley have finally got out of the blocks.
But there is still a long way to go before the finish line zooms into view.
Kompany, after being installed as Sean Dyche’s replacement, is under pressure to oversee a substantial summer rebuild. Nick Pope, James Tarkowski, Ben Mee, Aaron Lennon, Phil Bardsley, Dale Stephens and Erik Pieters have all departed following May’s relegation.
Maxwel Cornet is expected to go the same way, while Wout Weghorst is just days away from putting pen to paper with Besiktas.
Wout Weghorst out, Jackson Muleka in at Burnley?
Kompany’s Jupiler League connections could come in very handy, however. Especially with a 22-year-old centre-forward who caught a leading candidate to become Burnley’s third signing of a frantic summer.
The Clarets have failed with an opening bid of £3 million for DR Congo international Muleka. Standard Liege want £4.5 million, after Muleka enhanced his reputation during an excellent loan spell at Kasimpasa. He scored 15 goals and set up seven more during a season in Turkey.
Quick, skilful, two footed and boasting impressive link-play and vision, Muleka would give Burnley a different sort of threat in the final third. He is also stylistically very far removed from the other centre-forward on Kompany’s wishlist – the 6ft 3ins targetman Makhtar Gueye.
Interestingly, Burnley are also keen on two of Muleka’s Standard Liege team-mates.
Midfielder Samuel Bastien is open to joining the Clarets for a cut-price £700,000. Former PSG youngster Moussa Sissoko is another target.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
