Swansea City defender Kyle Bartley has enjoyed a brilliant year on loan at Leeds United, and the Championship side may struggle to hold onto him.
Leeds’ Kyle Bartley
A report in The Sun has suggested that Premier League trio Burnley, Bournemouth and Stoke City could all make a move for Swansea City defender Kyle Bartley this summer, and may have to compete with Leeds for his signature if Garry Monk’s men are promoted.
Bartley has struggled to establish himself at the Liberty Stadium since 2012 and The Sun reports that he will enter the final year of his contract with the Swans next season, so they may be willing to sanction a deal.
And it appears that there will be a number of clubs willing to offer the 25-year-old a fresh start, including the team he has spent the season on loan with, Leeds.
Bartley has been a stalwart of the Whites’ side this season, proving to be an integral part of the best centre-back partnership, along with Pontus Jansson, that the club has had since their days in the Premier League.
He has also been a leader on the pitch for Leeds, frequently taking on the captaincy role when skipper Liam Bridcutt has been injured, so it is no surprise that Monk is keen to keep him at Elland Road beyond this season.
The Sun hints however, that Leeds’ hopes of signing him permanently largely depend on the Yorkshire outfit winning the play-offs, which is hardly surprising now the trio of top flight teams are also in the running.
The most serious interest appears to be coming from Burnley, who The Sun suggests have earmarked the former Rangers man as a potential replacement for Michael Keane, who is almost certainly leaving Turf Moor this summer.
Meanwhile, The Sun adds that Bournemouth and Stoke are considering bids, which perhaps put some additional pressure on Leeds to make sure they secure promotion as otherwise, keeping one of their most impressive players from this season will surely be a mammoth task.
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