Burnley in transfer bid for £2m England youth international James Hill with defender’s Fleetwood contract running out
BURNLEY want to snatch England Under-20 centre-half James Hill from fellow Lancashire side Fleetwood.
The Clarets are keen to win the chase and are lining up an offer of about £2million for the youngster, who is regularly playing League One football.
Hill, 19, is running out of contract and the Cod Army may cash in now.
They could take their chances at a tribunal if he leaves in the summer but an earlier, clean sale may be better for them.
The defender made his senior debut for Fleetwood in the EFL Cup in 2018, aged 16.
Hill first appeared for the Three Lions U-20s against Romania in September.
Burnley have centre-half Bobby Thomas, 20, to send the other way on loan, which could help the move go through.
The Premier League strugglers are also monitoring Ross Barkley’s situation at Chelsea, for an emergency swoop in January.
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The midfielder is only getting limited game time at Stamford Bridge and could be available for loan in the next window.
Barkley, 27, was on Sean Dyche’s radar in the summer.
But there was no encouragement from the player’s end so soon after a return from a loan at Aston Villa.
Burnley are prepared to pay a chunk of his massive salary for half a season to help them out of the drop zone.
And unless Chelsea are hit by an injury crisis, Barkley seems sure to be available.
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