Burnley are reportedly prepared to spend £15m on the signing of Marseille midfielder Pape Gueye during the upcoming January transfer window.
The 24-year-old is currently out of favour with Les Olympiens manager Gennaro Gattuso and has therefore featured just three times in Ligue 1 so far in 2023-24.
Gueye had an extremely-brief spell at Watford during the summer of 2020 after leaving Le Havre, however the midfielder was immediately transferred away from Vicarage Road without playing a match due to disagreements over his terms at the club.
Having represented Senegal on 17 occasions since making his debut in November 2021, the former Sevilla loanee would bring a considerable amount of international pedigree to Turf Moor.
According to The Sun, Burnley have identified Gueye as a player who could help the Clarets avoid an immediate return to the Championship in the second half of the season.
The report claims that Vincent Kompany's scouts have been to watch the midfielder and were impressed by his peformances in a Marseille shirt, so a New Year switch could be on the cards.
Les Olympiens are said to be open to offloading Gueye during the January transfer window, as the 24-year-old does not form a major part of Gattuso's first-team thinking.
The Ligue 1 club are understood to be wanting to pocket £15m from the sale of the ex-Le Havre man, who has featured in just 24 minutes of league football this campaign.
After a sobering 2-0 defeat to Everton on Saturday evening, Burnley remain 19th in the Premier League standings, six points away from Nottingham Forest in 17th.
A midfield pairing of Sander Berge and captain Josh Brownhill has been a regular fixture for Kompany in recent matches, with the likes of Josh Cullen having to settle for a spot on the bench.
Engine-room playmaker Brownhill is set to be subject of interest from a number of top-flight sides in January, with Wolverhampton Wanderers reportedly lining up a bid for the 27-year-old.
The former Bristol City man is entering the final six months of his current deal at Turf Moor, however the Clarets crucially hold the option to extend the agreement by a further year.
Burnley currently have a couple of midfield options out of action due to injuries, including veteran Jack Cork and summer arrival Aaron Ramsey, who can also operate as a winger.
The Clarets' final game before Christmas Day is a difficult-looking trip to Craven Cottage, where Fulham have won back-to-back matches by 5-0 scorelines since the turn of the month. body check tags ::
