Burnley must pay £13m for prolific striker after Kompany confirmed interest

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Premier League newcomers Burnley will reportedly have to pay £13 million if they want to bring Metz striker Georges Mikautadze to Turf Moor during the summer transfer window. 

At the risk of drizzling on Vincent Kompany’s open-top bus parade, the Championship champions certainly have some work to do this summer.  

In the out-of-contract Ashely Barnes and Southampton loanee Nathan Tella, Burnley will lose two of their most important attackers during the off-season. Barnes was Kompany’s first-choice centre-forward throughout much of the campaign. And no one scored more goals for the Clarets in 2022/23 than Tella. 

Replacements will be required.

Vincent Kompany’s Burnley want Metz striker Georges Mikautadze

So, this is where Mikautadze comes in. 

23 goals and eight assists in all competitions; the France-born Algeria international is comfortably the top scorer in France’s second tier.  

Burnley are long-time admirers; the Lancashire outfit failing with a £2 million bid last summer. If, as suggested, Burnley plan to renew their interest, they will have to part with an eight-figure sum, although the riches of the Premier League mean Kompany will have far greater funds to play with now than he did 12 months ago. 

“Georges Mikautadze is (worth) 15 million euros!,” reporter Mohamed Toubache writes on Twitter. 

“In the event of promotion to Ligue 1, FC Metz will do their best to keep him. Even if it looks very complicated.” 

Metz are currently third in Ligue 2.

Kompany, meanwhile, admitted back in August 2022 that Mikautadze was indeed a player on his radar, though Burnley could not meet Metz’ asking price following a summer of heavy spending at Turf Moor.

“It is a difficult one,” Kompany told Lancs Live at the time. “There are some players that are out of our range financially. For us, (Mikautadze) is a player who is probably out of our range.” 

Burnley are reportedly looking at Dinamo Zagreb attacker Luka Ivanusec and full-back duo Paulo Otavio and Max Johnston too. Anderlecht’s Bart Verbruggen is another long-term target back on Kompany’s wishlist.