Burnley defender Michael Keane has been linked with a move to Manchester United, and the Clarets could find a ready-made replacement at Middlesbrough.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche
Burnley fans will have ended the season as some of the happiest in the Premier League. After gaining promotion last season, the Clarets have ended the season as far and away the most successful of the promoted sides, finishing 16th.
The Clarets have impressed massively this season, proving themselves as one of the hardest working and well-disciplined sides in the top flight, with players like Michael Keane and Andre Gray gaining many plaudits.
But reports are now linking star defender Keane with a move away from the club to former side Manchester United, according to the BBC. The centre-half, who joined Burnley in 2015 to replace departing captain Jason Shackell, has been one of the standout players for the Clarets this season, breaking his way into the England set-up.
With a year left on his contract though, Burnley are in a good position over Michael Keane, and as manager Sean Dyche has alluded to recently via Sky Sports, the club can afford to demand a price they see fit for the defender, should Manchester United make a serious move.
Burnley’s Michael Keane
However, should the Clarets lose their star man, their attention could well turn to another impressive young English defender: Middlesbrough captain Ben Gibson. The central defender has been one of the few highlights of the season for Boro fans, who have found themselves relegated back to the Championship.
Likely to cost a similar fee to the one they could well make from Keane’s sale to Manchester United, Burnley would be well within their rights to challenge for Gibson, in what could be an almost like-for-like replacement. However, if reports from the Daily Mirror are to be believed, then the Clarets will need to compete with Leicester City and West Bromwich Albion for the defender’s signature.
Ben Gibson of Middlesbrough
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