Burnley are said to hold an interest in signing Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil, as per a recent report by The Sun.

The Clarets are said to have sent their chief scout, Martin Hodge, in action against Arsenal in Sunderland's recent game against the Gunners in the Carabao Cup, with the talent spotter said to have provided a glowing report to the Turf Moor hierarchy.

Neil is a player who has come on leaps and bounds at the Stadium of Light this season and is now viewed as a key member of the team, with Lee Johnson having made him one of the first names on the team sheet in recent months.

In addition to this, the Black Cats have also looked to tie down the youngster for the foreseeable future, with Neil having put pen to paper on a new deal with the club that keeps him in the North East until at least the summer of 2025.

However Burnley are said to still be weighing up a £3 million bid for the player in order to test Sunderland's resolve.

There is even talk that the Clarets could do a deal which involves the youngster heading back to Wearside on loan in order to continue his development by playing regualr football.

It is also worth pointing out that Sunderland have shown a tendency to cash in on their best young players if they do not want to remain at the club, so it could come down to Neil looking to force the issue if he did fancy a move to a higher level.

For now though the midfielder will be firmly focused on helping his side to finally get back into the Sky Bet Championship.