Burnley reassured winger Dwight McNeil that he would be able to leave Turf Moor this summer if a suitable offer came in, according to an update on Twitter from Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from Lancashire this summer - but it was previously unclear whether a move away would be sanctioned with other valuable assets like James Tarkowski, Ben Mee, Nick Pope and Nathan Collins already moving on in recent months.

With Vincent Kompany's side generating sizeable fees for the latter two, it could be argued that they didn't need to let any other key players go, even though they have brought in a considerable number of players in return.

However, with the Toffees, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Newcastle United all believed to have been interested in luring him away from Turf Moor before the summer window closes, he remained in limbo.

Yesterday provided certainty regarding his future though, with Frank Lampard's side reportedly agreeing a £20m deal to take the Englishman to Goodison Park and it's understood the player was scheduled to undergo a medical yesterday.

McNeil wasn't reported to be actively pushing for this move, though it has perhaps become clearer why he hasn't with reporter Taylor revealing he received assurances about being allowed to depart following his current side's relegation.

The Verdict:

Perhaps this is a good strategy for the Clarets to adopt - because this has probably reduced the risk of their star players becoming unsettled with their minds needing to be focused on the upcoming second-tier season.

However, it could be argued that it was pointless giving these assurances because what the player thinks is a reasonable offer may be completely different to what Kompany's side deem as acceptable.

Therefore, it could have been futile to give assurances, but his honest and clear communication is probably something the player appreciated and it may have potentially prevented him from pushing for a move.

If he had pushed for a move, it's unclear whether the second-tier outfit would have managed to generate as much as £20m for his services, so their decision to be frank with McNeil has probably turned out to be the right one.

With the money they are set to receive for him, they can get to work on bringing in a good replacement and will also be able to address other areas in their squad, so this deal could turn out to be a good one for all parties.