Chelsea are very keen on signing a centre-back to help stabilize a leaky defence. However, they may have to pay millions to their Premier League rivals Manchester United in the process.
The Blues have recently been linked with a move for Burnley defender Michael Keane. They are reportedly ready to offer £25 million for the 23-year-old in January. The Clarets may be tempted to cash in on the player, who has developed into an integral part of their first team, while Keane himself would love to play for the four-time Premier League champions.
Keane is a Manchester United academy product, and it now looks like his former club will get a share of the transfer fee if he moves from Burnley. According to The Mirror, there is a sell-on clause in Keane’s contract that states that United are entitled to 20% of his transfer fee should the defender leave Turf Moor. This means that if Chelsea were to pay £25 million for Keane, Man United would pocket as much as £5 million from the deal.
Michael Keane has progressed in leaps and bounds since joining Burnley two years ago in a bargain £2 million deal. The Englishman was an integral part of their team last season when they gained promotion to the Premier League from the Championship and he has also impressed in the Premier League this term.
The 23-year-old put in rock solid performances in two of the Clarets’ best games of the season — the win over Liverpool and the last minute loss to Arsenal. The Englishman was even called up to the national team after former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson was ruled out with an injury.
Chelsea will be desperate to add Keane to their ranks, but they will face competition from other domestic rivals. Leicester City were keen on signing Keane throughout the summer and it is now being reported that Liverpool and Arsenal are also interested in signing the talented centre-back.
