According to the Sun, Burnley are set to rival Aston Villa in the race to sign Stoke City’s Glenn Whelan, with latest reports suggesting the midfielder would like to stay in the Premier League.

Steve Bruce is keen to add Whelan to his Villa squad ahead of the 2017/18 Sky Bet Championship campaign, but could now face difficulty in convincing the Irishman to step out of the Premier League, due to Burnley’s interest.

Villa have already seen a reported £500k bid rejected, with Stoke keen to recoup £1m for Whelan, who has been with the Potters for almost ten years.

Stoke are willing to let Whelan leave this summer, which will bring the 33-year old’s long association with the club to an end.

Whelan has been with Stoke since 2008, and during his nine-and-a-half years with the Potters, the midfielder has made over 300 appearances.

During those 300 plus appearances, Whelan has helped Stoke to the Premier League and played a major role in establishing the Potters as a top-flight outfit.

It is Whelan’s experience that makes him such an attractive option for Villa and Burnley, who are looking for Championship promotion and Premier League survival respectively next season.

Villa fans… What do you make of this news? Are you confident your club will sign Whelan this summer or will he stay in the Premier League? Let us know your thoughts!