Burnley will have to battle Serie A giants AS Roma if they wish to seal the permanent transfer of Lorenz Assignon, according to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
The Clarets are gearing up for a return to the Championship after suffering relegation from the Premier League last season. They have had to contend with losing manager Vincent Kompany to Bayern Munich, with Scott Parker named as his successor last week.
They are hoping to make their stay in the second tier a short one and are expected to use their financial clout to forge a challenge at the top of the table. They have already activated clauses in the loan deals of Mike Tresor and Maxime Esteve to bring them to Turf Moor permanently and are reportedly hoping to convince another of last season’s loanees to return to the club.
Assignon joined from French outfit Stade Rennais in February, going on to make 15 appearances at right back. It was reported by L’Equipe last month that Burnley were keen to exercise a purchase option, although the player rejected the deal. Still, it is said that the Lancashire-based club haven’t given up hope in convincing the 24-year-old to return.
This stance appears to not have changed, with Di Marzio claiming the player is not interested in playing outside of England’s top division. Instead, he is now wanted by Roma, who are looking to add quality to their right-hand side.
The Italians are hoping for a better campaign after finishing a disappointing sixth last season. As a result, they missed out on Champions League football, having slipped out of the top five following a run of one win from their final six games.
The report states that bolstering their attacking options is a priority, although Assignon is viewed as a player who has emerged as a target for their back line. Although he featured at right back for Burnley, he can also operate on the right-hand side of midfield.
Writer’s View
Losing their Premier League status and their manager means that Burnley will have to re-think their summer business. They will no longer be able to attract the calibre of player they did last summer, although there are still plenty of options they can explore.
The Clarets are said to be keen on Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips, who previously worked with Scott Parker at AFC Bournemouth. These are the kind of players they should be targeting, and it is likely that they will now pull away from the Assignon deal.
Yeah, there’s going to be a few players who will want to wish to play at the top leagues – even though the Championship is one of the top 10 leagues overall. But they’ve got most good ones out there hoping they can dominate this table by going back into the PL soonest.