Burnley and Derby County join QPR in race for 16-goal star | OneFootball

Burnley and Derby County have joined Queens Park Rangers in the race for Senegalese international Bamba Dieng

Burnley and Derby County will once again be facing each other in the Championship next season after a year's absence following the Clarets' short stay in the Premier League, as both sides look to battle in the summer transfer window before on the pitch.

Whilst Burnley and Derby had completely different seasons in completely different leagues, the overriding feeling at both clubs will be one of disappointment.

The Clarets finished 19th in the Premier League following a 100-point season in the Championship in 2025, but Scott Parker could not adequately deal with the summer losses of each of James Trafford, CJ Egan-Riley, and Josh Brownhill, with the former England midfielder having since left the club, leaving the Lancashire outfit in search of a new permanent head coach.

Derby, meanwhile, after a poor start to the campaign, winning one of their opening ten league games, rescued their season under John Eustace after a busy summer overhaul, but that poor start would ultimately hinder their finishing position, falling just short of a play-off place on the final day of the campaign.

Both sides will be aiming for at least a top-six finish next season and will each be hoping to have strong transfer windows to best prepare for that target, as both have seemingly joined Championship rivals in the pursuit of an international forward available for free this summer.

Burnley and Derby County join the likes of Queens Park Rangers in the hunt for Bamba Dieng this summer

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Burnley will likely see a lot of outgoings this summer following relegation, and in terms of incomings, will almost certainly appoint a manager before any are made, but that has seemingly not stopped them, alongside Derby, from joining the race for Senegalese international Bamba Dieng, as per Alan Nixon via Patreon.

Dieng, 26, is due to be a free agent this summer following the end of his contract with Lorient, and numerous Championship sides have previously registered an interest in him, including the likes of Queens Park Rangers, West Bromwich Albion, and Portsmouth.

The Senegalese international, to date, has only ever played professional football in France with the likes of Marseille, Lorient, and Angers, but according to Nixon, he favours a move to England this summer amid offers from other European teams, albeit he is hesitant about dropping to the Championship.

This season, Dieng scored ten and assisted once in 22 Ligue 1 games, directly contributing to a goal every other game in the French top flight, but now appears as though he could be on his way to England, with both Burnley and Derby joining the race.

Burnley will almost certainly face offers for star forward Zian Flemming this summer, after the Dutchman hit double digits for goals in the Premier League despite the Clarets' relegation, and will surely need reinforcements in that area regardless of any departure, with Dieng mooted as a possibility, despite still having yet to appoint a new head coach.

Derby, meanwhile, will be somewhat relieved that Patrick Agyemang's injury has brought him out of the spotlight and reduced the chances of a departure this summer, but still may face a battle to keep hold of the American after a bright first year at Pride Park.

Carlton Morris, Lars-Jorgen Salvesen, and Rhian Brewster are all capable of playing as a centre-forward, but following Ben Brereton-Diaz's loan expiry, Eustace may be looking to add another option into the mix.

Dieng has his pick of Championship clubs, and with Burnley and Derby joining the race, competition continues to increase for his services, as this saga is one to keep an eye on.

Bamba Dieng will have his pick of Championship clubs this summer as Burnley and Derby County join the race for his signature

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With Nixon stating Dieng's preference to move to England, the Championship appears his most obvious destination at the moment, with no Premier League clubs having yet been linked with a switch.

Though offers from the English top flight are scarce, the second tier has firmly stood up and taken notice, with almost a quarter of the division having been linked with a move at this stage.

Dieng looks destined for the Championship, and with Burnley and Derby joining the conversation, whether his next destination will be Turf Moor, Pride Park, or elsewhere, remains to be seen.