Bharath Rammr
Michael Keane has been one of the standout performers in the Burnley team at the start of the season. The club may be struggling in the bottom of the table with just two wins all season, but it not surprising that they have the best defensive record among the bottom 10 teams. Buoyed the presence of Michael Keane, the club has been able to concede only nine goals in the opening seven games. To put things into perspective, even Liverpool have conceded more goals than Burnley this season. The club may be paying a price already for this good record, as transfer rumours surrounding Keane have started going in recent weeks.
Keane is reportedly a transfer target for Chelsea, who could end up actually helping Manchester United if they proceed with the transfer. One of the reasons for Keane being a quality centre back is that he had education at the best possible place – Manchester United youth team. Over the years, United have produced several talented youngsters from their youth academy. The likes of Ryan Shawcross and Jonny Evans may not have established themselves at a top club, but they are good defenders nonetheless.
United could actually hold the key towards Keane going to Chelsea or any other top club. It is because United have inserted a 20% clause in the sale contract to Burnley, according to Mirror. It means that United will receive 20% of any transfer fee that Burnley receives for the player. As he is English, Keane will command slightly more in terms of transfer money than regular defenders but he should end up costing Chelsea in the region of £10 million. Considering that Burnley would be losing £2 million of this figure, they could end up haggling Chelsea for more.
It is reported that Burnley are not interested in selling Keane at the moment. They see the 20-year-old as being key to their plans, but the situation could change if the player comes in with a transfer request. There have been numerous occasions when such young players have had their heads turned after learning about interest from top clubs. Chelsea are very keen on signing a young central defender who would go on to replace John Terry. The Chelsea captain is clearly on his last legs and may not continue playing beyond the current campaign.
The poor form of Gary Cahill is another source of worry for Chelsea boss Antonio Conte. Despite having signed Marcus Alonso and David Luiz on transfer deadline day, it is rumoured that the Chelsea boss is still not happy with his defensive options looking at the long-term. The January transfer window could hold the key to the future of Keane and Burnley’s stay in the Premier League.
