BURNLEY have not held talks with Manchester United over the summer transfer of Danny Ings.

Reports yesterday suggested the Red Devils had opened discussions with the Clarets about doing a deal for the 22-year-old striker now ahead of a summer move, but it understood that is not the case.

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Ings is out of contract at Turf Moor at the end of June and, under current FIFA regulations, only overseas clubs are allowed to speak to Ings before the end of the season.

English clubs are not yet officially permitted to hold discussions with the player, unless they first agree terms with Burnley about a summer transfer.

Liverpool are also admirers of Ings and failed in a bid to sign the striker in January, with plans to loan him back to the Clarets against Premier League rules.

It has been reported that both Liverpool and United could look to do a deal with Burnley now and sign a pre-contract agreement with Ings, thus avoiding the need for a tribunal deciding on compensation in the summer.

The Clarets would be due compensation of around £5million for Ings, who has nine Premier League goals to his name this season, if he moves to a domestic rival.

But Burnley have always insisted that they do not want to talk about the striker’s future until the end of the season and the club have not spoken to United about their star striker.

Liverpool were leading the race to capture Ings this summer, but Manchester United’s interest in the striker developed after his dazzling display at Old Trafford in February.

With United now third in the Premier League, a move to Louis van Gaal’s side would almost certainly guarantee Ings Champions League football.

Real Sociedad are also interested in the Southampton-born striker, and Burnley would only receive £200,000 in compensation if the former Bournemouth man moved abroad.

La Real boss David Moyes has watched Ings in person on a couple of occasions this season and the striker flew out to Spain for talks in mid-February, but he is likely to snub interest from abroad.