Money-bags Newcastle and Leeds United are both prepared to offer Burnley defender Nathan Collins an immediate route back to the Premier League following Burnley's relegation to the Championship, with the pair preparing offers for the 21-year-old, according to Football Insider.
Collins has only been a Clarets player for one year, having joined from Stoke City for a fee in the region of £12 million, despite just 47 professional club appearances to his name at the time.
The centre-back, who is a Republic of Ireland international, appeared rarely during the first half of the 2021-22 season for Burnley, however he became a fully-fledged regular when Ben Mee picked up an injury at the start of March.
The youngster ended the Premier League season with 19 appearances and two goals to his name, and his general performances have attracted the attention of clubs who are willing to bring Collins in this summer.
Both the Whites and the Magpies are now clamouring to secure the signature of the Irishman, who is contracted at Turf Moor until the summer of 2025, following the East Lancashire side's relegation to the second tier.
The Verdict
There could potentially be a mass exodus of players at Turf Moor this summer, and it potentially all depends on what the actual terms of paying back the £65 million loan are that was taken out when Alan Pace bought the club.
It's inevitable that the likes of Nick Pope and Maxwel Cornet will be sold, as well as James Tarkowski moving on, but Collins is someone that the Clarets could potentially build their team around.
Despite being just 21 and not having much experience in the senior game, Collins showed maturity beyond his years at the back end of this past season, so it is no surprise to see top flight clubs taking an interest.
It may all depend on what Burnley receive for other players though before they decide if they can or cannot refuse offers for a player like Collins - but if Vincent Kompany really is going to be the club's next manager then under his tutelage, Collins could grow even better and quicker as a centre-back and be worth a lot more money in 12 months time.