Rennes coach Bruno Genesio has ruled out Serhou Guirassy moving to Premier League strugglers Burnley as Chris Wood’s replacement, as reported by Get France Football News.
Losing your star striker in the January transfer window, with your top-flight status on the line, is bad enough.
But the sight of Wood firing Newcastle to safety, while Burnley tumble down the relegation trapdoor, might be enough to shatter even Sean Dyche’s tough-guy visage.
Alongside talisman Maxwel Cornet, Wood is the only player with more than two goals to his name in the Premier League this season.
The other strikers at Dyche’s disposal, Jay Rodriguez, Ashley Barnes and Matej Vydra, have just one between them.
A new striker, then, is a must. And while money at Turf Moor is tighter than Michael Owen’s hamstrings, Burnley do have £25 million burning a hole in their back pocket thanks to Wood’s mid-season departure.
Who will replace Chris Wood at Burnley?
The Sun believe that Guirassy, the £13 million Ligue 1 hotshot, is just one of the potential Wood replacements on Dyche’s hitslist.
But despite his lack of starts under Genesio, the Rennes boss is not willing to countenance a January sale.
“For the moment, there is no desire to separate from Serhou,” Genesio said after Guirassy scored twice off the bench in this weekend’s 6-0 dismantling of Bordeaux.
It’s not all bad for Burnley though.
Benteke or Origi?
The Sun add that Premier League rivals Crystal Palace may be willing to sell Christian Benteke for just £10 million. The Belgian, while hardly the most prolific of marksmen, is an old-school targetman who should be able to step into Wood’s boots with ease.
Burnley are also keen on Divock Origi, Liverpool’s man for the big occasion. But, despite the fact he’s entering the final few months of his Anfield contract, Jurgen Klopp wants to keep Origi until the summer.
Premier League interest has dried up, however, and so have his opportunities in Rennes’ starting XI.
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