The Clarets will be looking to rebuild the squad in the summer as they prepare once more for life in the Premier League.
Already the rumour mill is in full swing and we provide an update of the latest media reports.
Clarets fans will well remember the heartache of losing winger Chris Eagles to Owen Coyle’s Bolton in July 2011. How things have changed since then. Our former ‘hero-to-zero` gaffer Owen Coyle is club-less and has suffered two sackings since after leaving both Bolton and Wigan. Bolton are no longer in the top flight and Burnley have now returned to it following their automatic promotion as runners-up this season.
Could Burnley be about to bring Chris Eagles back to Turf Moor? Media reports last week suggested Sean Dyche may well be interested in the28 year old.
Eagles looks set to leave Bolton this summer when his contract comes to an end despite last season being a firm fans favourite. Dougie Freedman has recently preferred Neil Danns ahead of him and the winger has not featured since mid February even failing to make the eighteen on occasion. Freedman is thought to be planning a complete overhaul at the club in the summer and it looks like Eagles will not feature in his long-term plans. His salary though could be a problem, with Burnley still looking to be careful with money despite now once again a Premier League club and standing to benefit from around £100 million for being in the top flight. Eagles is thought to be on around £30,000 per week and we could be in competition with SPL club, Celtic who are also reportedly interested in signing the former Manchester United midfielder and of course will have more cash at their disposal.
What do Clarets fans though now think about the possibility of re-signing the player? Do we not now have better wingers in any case? How would you rate Eagles against the likes of Wallace, Arfield, Treacy, Stanislas and even Michael Kightly should his parent club Stoke allow him to leave and we decide to make his move permanent? Let us know beneath this article by providing your comments.
Another former player, Scottish international Phil Bardsley has also been linked with a move to Turf Moor this week along with his Sunderland team mate, Craig Gardner. Bardsley, you may remember had a spell on loan at Turf Moor whilst a Manchester United player. He came to Turf Moor in March 2006 and returned at the end of that season after making just six appearances. Bardsley also had loan spells at Royal Antwerp, Rangers, Aston Villa and Sheffield United before leaving Old Trafford. The defender, now 28 left Old Trafford and joined Sunderland on a three-and-a-half-year contract in a deal worth £850,000 with add-ons in January 2008. Bardsley will be out of contract in the summer and Burnley are reportedly keeping tabs on the player. Sunderland turned down a £2million bid from Fulham in the January transfer window and he is currently the Wearside club`s longest serving player. However they have held recent contract talks with Bardsley and negotiations have broken down with Black Cats gaffer Gus Poyet saying he expects the defender to move on.
Yet another Sunderland player also appears to be a Burnley target. Craig Gardner`s three-year deal expires this summer and the 27-year-old has not been offered a new deal suggesting he will be free to move on. The central midfielder previously played for Aston Villa and Birmingham City before joining Sunderland in June 2011. He signed a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, believed to be about £6 million. Gardner is also a former England Under 21 international.
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