Burnley are reportedly interested in Southampton’s Fraser Forster on loan following Nick Pope injury but would Simon Mignolet of Liverpool be a better option?
Ahead of the start of the 2018/19 Premier League season Burnley have an injury crisis in goal after fears Nick Pope could be out of action for six months.
Pope suffered a dislocated shoulder during the 1-1 Europa League second qualifying round first leg against Aberdeen last week and the Express reports this could keep the goalkeeper sidelined until the New Year.
With Tom Heaton – who missed most of last season with the same injury – now out with a calf problem, the Clarets are left with Anders Lindegaard as the only option between the posts.
That is why the Lancashire club have turned their attention to Fraser Forster in a potential loan deal, with the 30-year-old having fallen to third choice at Southampton behind Alex McCarthy and new signing Angus Gunn.
Burnley would be prepared to pay most of Forster’s £65,000-a-week wages to bring the goalkeeper to Turf Moor as well.
Other options
If a loanee is what manager Sean Dyche is seeking then perhaps he could consider an ambitious move for Simon Mignolet, who has also fallen down the pecking order at current club Liverpool following the signing of Allison.
Turkish publication Fotomac claims that Besiktas have offered to take Mignolet on loan with a view to a permanent deal and if the Reds are open to this then maybe the Clarets could consider rivalling the Super Lig side for the Belgian’s signature.
While fans at Anfield may have divided opinions on the 30-year-old, he is the same age as Forster and yet has played 245 times in England’s top flight in comparison to the Englishman’s 140 games and has significantly more international experience.
Perhaps Mignolet is not a ‘keeper for a Champions League club, but he certainly has the talent to impress in English football and would also inject some European experience into Burnley’s ranks as they seek to qualify for the Europa League proper.
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