Share

Burnley braced for Keane bids

Cape Town - Burnley are set to face a stern test of their resolve prior to their return to the top-flight with eight figure bids expected for defender Michael Keane.

English Premier League Champions Leicester City and Everton are said to be long-term admirers of the former Manchester United academy graduate and have been following his progress with the Clarets closely.

Rio Ferdinand claimed Keane, who was also linked with Stoke City, Bournemouth and Swansea city in the January transfer window, is one of three most promising ball playing centre backs in England at the moment alongside Eric Dier and John Stones.

Despite all the speculation, Keane says his focus is solely on helping Burnley establish themselves in the Premier League next season.

"For me, at the moment, it is about trying to do well for Burnley in the Premier League," he told reporters.

"It's not distracting," he added. "Obviously I see it but I don't know whether to believe it or not. It's just one of those things.

"If it's true then it can be very flattering, but I'm really happy here at Burnley.

"Everyone in the team, the manager and the fans have been great with me, so there's no reason for me to leave.

"You just take it as a compliment. It just proves that you're playing well if there's teams coming after you. I think I'm defending well consistently now.

"I think I've been doing well on a personal level for a while now, so I'm just hoping to keep it up. It's just speculation - you don't know whether to believe it or not - but it is nice to see.

"I think I've developed a lot here under the gaffer. I've had all the experienced players helping me as well."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2250 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE