Current rules on multi-club ownership amid reports Burnley are set to buy Belgian outfit

Belgian-based publication HLN are reporting that Burnley’s owners are keen to make KV Kortrijk a partner club.

The Flanders-based outfit, who finished 14th in the Belgian Pro League this season, could be bought for around £13m (€15m), it’s claimed.

Kortrijk are currently owned by Cardiff City chief Vincent Tan, who is willing to sanction a sale.

The Malaysian businessman has previously been in talks with a “number of parties”, but it’s understood negotiations have proven difficult due to Tan’s set asking price.

But, according to the report, his valuation has now been met by the Clarets hierarchy.

The move would make sense from Burnley’s point of view given they’ve already garnered strong links with Belgium since Vincent Kompany’s appointment last year.

The Premier League newcomers have already done plenty of business in that part of Europe, signing the likes of Manuel Benson, Samuel Bastian, Josh Cullen and Lyle Foster.

If a deal comes to fruition, Kortrijk would become the latest Belgian side to become a part of a wider footballing network.

Cercle Brugge (Monaco), Standard Liege (Genoa and Vasco da Gama), Union St Gilloise (Brighton) and KV Oostende (Barnsley and Nancy) and are all owned by groups that are already in possession of another club.

Second Division side Lommel are also part of Manchester City’s wider football network.

While owners are prohibited from owning more than one club in the same country, there are no rules against owning one club in multiple different countries.

However, it is something UEFA are monitoring and it’s been mooted that rules could become more restrictive in the coming years.

Under current law, two clubs with the same majority shareholders are banned from playing each other in the same European competition.

The governing body has recently warned the growing trend of owners holding stakes in multiple football clubs could damage the game’s integrity.

“The rise of multi-club investment has the potential to pose a material threat to the integrity of European club competitions, with a growing risk of seeing two clubs with the same owner or investor facing each other on the pitch,” UEFA said.