Huws linked with Clarets move

Burnley have again been linked with Welsh midfielder Emyr Huws.
Emyr Huws in action for Wigan AthleticEmyr Huws in action for Wigan Athletic
Emyr Huws in action for Wigan Athletic

The 21-year-old, reportedly a target for Sean Dyche 12 months ago, joined Wigan Athletic for £2.5m from Manchester City in the summer transfer window, having impressed on loan with Birmingham City – scoring a terrific volley against the Clarets in March 2013.

But with the Latics relegated to League 1, despite chairman David Sharpe boasting the club will “have a good budget - five times more than anyone in League 1”, the club could well have to take a hit on the senior Wales international.

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Huws hasn’t played since January after suffering an ankle injury, but returned to pre-season with Wigan at the end of last week.

Wigan are certainly in no rush to offload a player who could be a key figure in their promotion bid, but a return to the Championship could be a temptation.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest wideman Jamie Paterson continues to be linked with the Clarets, this time with Lukas Jutkiewicz involved in a swap deal.

Last week it was reported that Burnley had made an undisclosed offer for the 23-year-old Paterson, although such suggestions had jumped the gun.

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Dyche is, however, a long-standing admirer of the player, who left Walsall for the City Ground two summers ago.

Paterson has a year left on his current deal, and has made 64 appearances for Forest, scoring 13 goals, but made only seven starts last term.

Dyche said after a 1-1 draw at Forest in Burnley’s promotion season: “I like Paterson, I saw him last year at Walsall.

“We offered £4.99 for him, but Forest were able to come up with £1m.”

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It has been mooted that Jutkiewicz could be used as bait for Forest, whose boss Dougie Freedman signed the striker on loan at Bolton in the second half of the 2013/14 season, scoring seven goals in 20 games.