New Burnley boss Vincent Kompany is set to raid his former club Manchester City for versatile defender CJ Egan-Riley, according to a report from Alan Nixon on Patreon.
And the Belgian will fend off interest from the Clarets' Championship rivals Coventry City and West Bromwich Albion for the teenager's services on a permanent basis, with a £750,000 fee being paid by Burnley should he meet set appearance totals.
Egan-Riley has been a City player since 2010, graduating from their youth academy before making his senior debut in September 2021 when starting against Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Cup.
The 19-year-old also made singular appearances in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League this past season for Pep Guardiola, whilst plying the majority of his trade for the under-23's in the Premier League 2 competition, where he played 21 times.
Having split his time between playing as a centre-back and a right-back, Egan-Riley looks set to add some competition in multiple positions at the Clarets ahead of their return to the EFL.
Kompany is also trying to secure a loan move for another City defender in the form of Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who he signed for Anderlecht at the beginning of last season.
Football Insider believe that Burnley are in advanced talks to bring the 20-year-old to Turf Moor, where he could potentially partner Egan-Riley in the back-line.
The Verdict
Vincent Kompany is certainly wasting no time when it comes to putting a squad together for next season.
It appears that Dan Ballard and Scott Twine are also set to sign for the Clarets as well as the two aforementioned City defenders arriving on loan - that is a promising start indeed.
There are gaps to be filled in the Burnley squad, especially in the centre of defence, and Egan-Riley will be a useful addition as he can play there.
With Ballard and Harwood-Bellis likely coming in as well though, it's likely that Egan-Riley will have more chance of featuring as a right-back - and if he's good enough to feature under Pep Guardiola at such a young age, then he will surely have a good chance of succeeding in the Championship.