Stoke City defender Nathan Collins has become Premier League side Burnley’s first signing of the season. The announcement came via the club’s official website.
Stoke City aimed to keep Collins at the Bet365 stadium this summer but with a reported bid in excess of £12 million, the Potters were resigned to letting the defender leave for the top tier.
Burnley have been scouting Collins for a number of months and made him a top priority. They could still lose the talismanic England international James Tarkowski in the next few months of the transfer window and so Collins could be seen as a direct replacement.
The 20-year-old has played a total of 45 times for Stoke in all competitions since making his debut for the club back in April 2019, with 39 of those coming in the Championship. During that time he has scored two goals and earned a call up to the Republic of Ireland U21 squad.
Upon signing, Burnley chairman Alan Pace spoke to the club’s official site and spoke highly of the Clarets’ new acquisition.
“We are extremely pleased to have secured the services of Nathan,” he said, “who has been much sought after as one of the most promising young players in the country.”
Along with Burnley, fellow Premier League sides Arsenal and Leicester City were said to be pursuing a deal to sign the Irishman, whereas giants Liverpool and Manchester United had also been credited with interest in the past.
The signing of Collins will also be good news for Middlesbrough fans, as Burnley will now have presumably pulled out of the race to sign in-demand centre-back Dael Fry. Sean Dyche’s side have been long-term admirers of the Boro-born defender but now look to have turned their attention elsewhere.
