THE future of Burnley target Sam Vokes is set to become clearer with new Wolves boss Stale Solbakken deciding whether to take the striker on the club’s training trip to Ireland.
Clarets boss Eddie Howe is interested in bringing Vokes back to Turf Moor after a loan spell with the club last season but a change of management at Molineux has meant they have faced a wait to find out if Wolves will allow the Welshman to leave.
Vokes was well down the pecking order at Wolves last season, going out on loan to both Burnley and Brighton, but reported back for pre-season training with the club this week with Solbakken keen to assess the forward after taking over as boss in May.
Wolves, however, have close to 50 professionals on their books and only plan to take around 23 players when they depart for their pre-season training camp in Ireland on Monday.
Solbakken currently has a total of 11 strikers at his disposal, with the likes of Steven Fletcher, Kevin Doyle, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and new signing Bjorn Bergmann Sigudarson all pushing for a place in the side.
Burnley are keen to make at least two more additions to their squad before the start of the season, with a midfielder also on the agenda, but club sources indicated this week that no deals were on the verge of being completed.
The Clarets have been prepared to wait on Vokes, with Brighton and another club also understood to be interested, and it seems almost certain that the Wales international will be made available for transfer if he does not travel with Wolves to Ireland.
Solbakken is due to hold discussions with most of his squad in the next week to inform them where they feature in his plans.
Vokes is believed to be open to a return to Turf Moor but Wolves said this week that they have not yet received any offers for the 22-year-old.
The West Midlands side’s valuation of the player is not yet clear, with Vokes having only one year left on his deal at Molineux.
But Wolves may still want to make a profit on a player who arrived from Bournemouth for around £250,000 four years ago and has gained Championship experience during several loan periods since then – also having spells at Leeds, Bristol City, Sheffield United and Norwich.
Sources close to the player have confirmed that Latvian centre back Marcis Oss is scheduled to travel to Burnley for a trial.
The 20-year-old recently spent a period training with Spanish second division side Hercules but is nearing the end of his contract with Latvian side FK Jelgava.
Fellow centre back Nauris Bulvitis, 25, is also expected to arrive - with reports in Latvia suggesting their trials will start on July 23.
Promising Australian goalkeeper Daniel Nizic, 17, has already arrived for training after agreeing a deal to join the Clarets.
* Burnley’s development squad play their first pre-season friendly at Mossley this afternoon at 3pm.
Jason Blake has named Wes Fletcher in the squad for the game, while new youth goalkeepers Conor Mitchell and Callum Jakovlevs will also be involved.
Squad: Callum Jakovlevs, Conor Mitchell, Adam Evans, Alex Coleman, Archie Love, Aryn Williams, Jack Errington, Jason Gilchrist, Joe Jackson, Luke Conlan, Luke Gallagher, Mehdi Lazaar, Shay McCartan, Steve Hewitt, Tom Anderson, Wes Fletcher.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel