Burnley’s financial demands become clear as Champions League outfit chase key man | OneFootball

Burnley are looking for a £20m fee for Fenerbahce transfer target Sander Berge.

Highlights

Burnley are holding out for £20m for Sander Berge, with Fenerbahçe looking to sign the midfielder to strengthen José Mourinho’s squad.

The Clarets endured a miserable season last time out in the Premier League, which ended up in relegation. But, Berge, who joined from Sheffield United 12 months ago, was one of few to emerge with credit given how he played.

His performances in the top-flight appear to have attracted transfer interest from Fenerbahçe, and TEAMtalk has revealed that Burnley have put a £20m price tag on the Norwegian midfielder.

Fenerbahçe looking to sign Burnley’s Sander Berge

The Turkish giants appointed Mourinho as their new boss this summer, and there is an expectation that he will be backed with serious funds as they look to wrestle the title back from bitter rivals Galatasaray.

And, it appears that Berge is emerging as a serious target for the ex-Chelsea chief, with the report stating that Fenerbahçe are ‘growing in confidence’ that they will be able to sign Berge, with Mourinho said to be pushing to make it happen.

Interestingly, the update claims that whilst Burnley want £20m for the 26-year-old, there is a feeling from the Istanbul outfit that they will be able to negotiate a lower price.

Sander Berge would be a big miss for Burnley

It’s going to be difficult for Burnley to keep hold of Berge with Fenerbahçe looking to sign him, as they are a huge club and the chance to play for Mourinho is going to appeal.

Furthermore, they’re in the Champions League qualifiers at the moment, so there’s a possibility that they will be playing on the biggest stage in European football, which is where Berge will want to test himself.

Purely from a football perspective, losing Berge would be a blow for Scott Parker, as he is a very complete midfielder by Championship standards.

Berge has the physicality to thrive in the second tier, he is comfortable in possession, and he will chip in with goals and assists - as he has done previously, so he would be very difficult to replace with a player of similar quality.

Burnley must hold out for a big fee for Sander Berge

In terms of his valuation, £20m seems a fair price, and Burnley fans will no doubt be disappointed if Fenerbahçe do negotiate a much lower fee.

Even though they only paid around £12m for the ex-Genk man, his value will have risen due to his performances last season, and with Berge under contract for three more years, there’s no need to sell.

Obviously, relegation will impact the finances, and some sales are necessary, but Burnley aren’t in a desperate position, so they should get a fair market value for anyone who does move on.

Then, it’s about giving Parker and the recruitment team the support they need to address weaker areas in the squad, but an immediate priority will be reducing the numbers in the group.