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Is Burnley Defender Keane On Old Trafford Return?

It’s been nothing short of an impressive season for Michael Keane as not only has he played a huge part in making sure Burnley did not return to the EFL Championship at the first time of asking but he was also handed his first senior England cap by Gareth Southgate.

And with the end of the season soon to be approaching Burnley fans will have to once again sit nervously through a transfer window in the hope that Keane continues to stay put at Turf Moor. Although with his level of performances and breakthrough into the national set up that could prove to be a tough ask.

The 24 year old was sold by Manchester United in 2015 by former boss Louis Van Gaal for just £2m and if he is to leave the Lancashire outfit then it is certainly going to cost a lot more to acquire his services. Burnley would obviously be loathed to lose him but they would no doubt earn themselves a tidy profit should they do so.

Leicester were reported to be eyeing up a bid of around £15m in January and that was something that was not entertained by Sean Dyche. For two factors one he would not be willing to sell what could have been a potential rival in regards to beating the drop and also the fact that he feels that Keane is worth more.

Add the fact that he has those aforementioned England caps now to his name and you arguably looking at a transfer fee of somewhere nearer £25m than £15m. If that does prove to be the case then with the money at clubs disposal these days it does not necessarily rule a club out from buying him.

But you would have to feel that should Keane look to leave Turf Moor then he will have slightly loftier ambitions then that of a move to Leicester as he could arguably walk into any of the top six first elevens and if not he would be a very welcome addition to their squads.

One club that is believed to be leading the queue is that of former club Manchester United. It might prove to be a costly purchase and would be the second summer in a row that Jose Mourinho has to pay over the odds so that a player can return to Old Trafford. The first of course being Paul Pogba and his world record fee of £89m.

United are undoubtedly set for another off season of not just big entrances but also big exits, Mourinho still hasn’t truly got a squad that he can call his own and it is in defence in which he will identify as one of the key areas for improvement.

The likes of Phil Jones and perhaps even Chris Smalling may well have to gear themselves up for the Old Trafford exit door and if United were to land Burnley’s Keane then that would surely hasten the demise of at least one of the two England international defenders which are already under Mourinho’s tutelage.

Jones played against Tottenham but was deployed in a right back role. One that the former Blackburn man has played in previously but he was all at sea as Tottenham got plenty of joy from the wide areas as they went on to win 2-1 at the final White Hart Lane encounter.

Was it perhaps a ploy by Mourinho to perhaps throw Jones under the bus. Out of sorts and out of position the 25 year old was always going to be on a hiding to nothing and with that Mourinho can then go to the United hierarchy and say “look these players are not good enough I need more funds”

If that does prove to be the case and Mourinho does get another transfer warchest then Keane will undoubtedly be near the top of his shopping list as the former Porto and Chelsea manager looks to have a serious assault on next seasons Premier League title race.

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