Burnley striker Michael Mellon expected to have ‘many suitors’

Micky Mellon has seemingly ruled out the possibility of bringing his son and Burnley youngster Michael back to Oldham Athletic.

The 22-year-old spent last season on loan with the Latics, scoring 10 goals in 18 appearances before his game time was cut short by a serious injury.

With the striker entering the final year of his contract with the Clarets, it’s claimed Burnley would prefer to sanction a permanent exit this summer, rather than another loan - having already sent him out to Morecambe, Dundee, Stockport County and Bradford City before his spell with his Dad at Boundary Park.

But it doesn’t appear as though his next destination will be back with Micky, who played for the Clarets between 1999 and 2001.

“It's generally just finances. It's just the way football is,” Mellon told the Oldham Times.

“Michael will have many suitors now.

“I don't want to build anybody's hopes up. He's not in our plans to be here next season, because we probably couldn't get it done at this time.”

Mellon added: “It was Michael's desire to come here, and he gave up wages to come here, which shows you how keen he was to try to come here.

“But I think he'll have many suitors now.”

Mellon’s 10-goal spell with League Two Oldham included two hat-tricks against Northampton Town and Tranmere Rovers, but he didn’t play a single game after Boxing Day after tearing his hamstring.

But Burnley’s interim boss Mike Jackson, speaking at the end of last season, has backed Mellon to score wherever he goes, as long as he’s able to stay fit.

“I've known Michael because I've worked with his Dad for years,” he said.

“Michael's a very, very good player, but he's had some real, weird, mad injuries over the last few years.

“But as a finisher, as a goalscorer, there aren’t any better. He's a very, very good finisher, so I'm sure he will have a good career because he is very, very talented.

“When you get to his sort of age he’s at now, you either get in here or you have to go and find your way and you need to play. It's no good him playing Under-21 football. That's no good for him now. He needs to be playing men's football.

“But I guarantee you, wherever he goes, he'll score.”