BURNLEY boss Adrian Heath is on the verge of clinching his first new players for the Clarets.

The Turf Moor chief is ready to sign Portuguese striker Bambo and Exeter City's Jon Richardson - two young players guaranteed to bring some excitement to Burnley in time for the build up to the new season.

But Heath faces stiff competition - £300,000-rated defender Richardson is also wanted by Lancashire rivals Preston North End, while Bambo has aroused interest from premier league clubs since his name was revealed this week.

The only thing standing in the way of a deal between Burnley and the Boavista U21 player is a "financial snag" - but Heath is determined to iron that out.

And of Richardson he said: "He is a young, right-sided defender with bags of pace. He is very adaptable and has good presence in the air.

"He is a talent I rate very highly and he is just the sort of player I want at Turf Moor."

Heath plans to bring at least one new face in by next week - and he could yet have some surprises up his sleeve.

Stoke's out-of-contract captain, Nigel Gleghorn, is another target, and at least two more players from the continent are still in the frame - one is from Germany, the other is another Portuguese player.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.