Turf Moor. (Photo by Jon Super - Pool/Getty Images)Turf Moor. (Photo by Jon Super - Pool/Getty Images)
Turf Moor. (Photo by Jon Super - Pool/Getty Images)

Burnley transfer news: Reporter delivers three-word update on Jason Knight pursuit, Clarets enter race for Premier League veteran

The January transfer window is flying by, and if Burnley are to conduct any business, they’re going to have to set the wheels in motion sooner rather than later.

New owners ALK Capital went into the market confident that they could bring in fresh faces for manager Sean Dyche, but as yet, there has been little in the way of concrete movement at Turf Moor.

One name that has been repeatedly linked with the Clarets, however, is that of Derby County midfielder Jason Knight.

The 19-year-old is a man in demand this month, with Football Insider reporting that both Leeds United and West Ham are also keeping tabs on him.

It’s not hard to see why Knight is such a popular target either.

New Rams boss Wayne Rooney – who knows a thing or two about what it takes to make it at the highest level of English football – has heaped plaudits on the teenager on more than one occasion in the past.

Even as far back as 2019, shortly after he joined County himself, he was singing Knight’s praises, telling Rams TV: “I’ve been really impressed with the way they’ve trained, particularly Knighty. His energy, his attitude. He almost reminds me of myself when I was younger in terms of no fear.

“And he’s got an aggression about him, not in terms of how he’s tackling, but in terms of how he runs, how he gets about the pitch. I’m looking forward to see how they do as I feel he can give us a lot of energy and a lot of creativity.”

But despite their reported interest, The Sun journalist Alan Nixon has suggested that the Clarets have made no official approach for the youngster.

Responding to a fan’s query about where the pursuit currently stands on Twitter, he wrote: “Make an offer...”.

Elsewhere, Burnley are said to have entered the race for Crystal Palace midfielder James McCarthy, according to the Daily Mail.

The Republic of Ireland international is out of contract at Selhurst Park in the summer, and as yet, has not agreed an extension to his current deal with the Eagles.

The Clarets are far from the only team monitoring his situation, however.

Celtic are understood to be particularly keen, but West Brom, Brighton, and Bournemouth are also in the running.

With 263 Premier League appearances to his name, the 30-year-old is a veteran top flight campaigner, and his stats would suggest that he still has something to offer in the heart of midfield.

This term, he has averaged 1.72 interceptions more than Ashley Westwood per 90 minutes, as well as winning 8.1% more of his contested duels, as per Wyscout.

We know that Dyche is not averse to bringing in free agents either, and while the competition to land McCarthy will be high, this could be one to keep an eye on as we edge closer to the summer transfer window.

We’ve also gathered some of the best of the rest of the Premier League transfer rumours doing the rounds today: