Burnley have reportedly slapped a £25 million price tag on Aston Villa, Leeds United and Newcastle United target Nathan Collins this summer.
According to the print edition of the Sunday Mirror (h/t Leeds Live), Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Newcastle United have all learnt how much it will cost for them to sign Nathan Collins from Burnley this summer. The Clarets are demanding a transfer fee of £25 million for their in-demand centre-back.
Collins joined Burnley only last summer from Stoke City in a deal worth £12 million. The 21-year-old made a huge impression in his debut season in the Premier League after getting a regular run in the side in the second half of the campaign. Even though the Clarets ended up getting relegated, the Irish defender did no harm to his reputation and is now attracting major interest from top-flight clubs.
Indeed, Aston Villa, Leeds United and Newcastle United are all keen on signing Collins from Burnley in the ongoing transfer window. And they have now learnt that it will take a bid of around £25 million to convince Burnley to part ways with their prized defender.
Aston Villa have already invested heavily in a new defender, splashing the cash to sign Diego Carlos from Sevilla. However, manager Steven Gerrard is keen on adding another centre-back to his roster amid question marks over the future of Tyrone Mings, who endured an inconsistent campaign last time out. Collins, to that end, has emerged as a viable option for Aston Villa to consider.
As for Leeds United, they are looking to strengthen their backline after just about surviving the threat of relegation. The Whites already have Diego Llorente, Liam Cooper, Robin Koch and Pascal Struijk as defensive options, along with youngsters Leo Hjelde and Charlie Cresswell. But Jesse Marsch seems keen on adding a new centre-back, although it is hard to see them shell out £25 million on Collins this summer.
Newcastle United are gearing up for a huge summer as they look to make a push for European football. With defenders like Ciaran Clark and Federico Fernandez on their way out, the Magpies are keen on adding another defender to complement Dan Burn and Fabian Schar. Sven Botman has been their main target, but Newcastle are looking at Collins after encountering complications in pursuit of the Dutch ace.
The £25 million fees for the Irish international should not be an issue for Newcastle, thanks to their owners’ deep pockets. But, with Aston Villa and Leeds United also in the equation, along with Wolverhampton Wanderers, only time will tell where Collins ends up this summer as a return to the Premier League beckons.
