Burnley, Ipswich Town and Blackburn Rovers blow as Hearts' Alex Cochrane transfer stance revealed | OneFootball

Highlights

Hearts Alex Cochrane has emerged as a transfer target for multiple Championship sides, including Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town, this month.

According to the Edinburgh Evening News, it will take a significant fee to convince the Scottish side to cash in on the 23-year-old in January.

Cochrane is in his third campaign with the Premiership club and has cemented himself as a key part of the side.

The versatile player can feature at left-back, as well as in midfield, and has made 15 appearances in the league already this season.

The former Brighton academy graduate has contributed three assists, with Hearts sitting third in the table.

Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town have both been linked with a move for Cochrane this window.

However, the Championship duo also face competition in the form of Premier League side Burnley.

It is understood that Hearts have little intention of letting the player leave before the 1 February deadline and would need to receive a significant offer in order to change their mind.

The Englishman has a contract with the club until the summer of 2025, meaning they are not in a position where they need to sell.

Given his importance to the team, Hearts are willing to wait until the summer before potentially cashing on the 23-year-old.

It would take up to a minimum of £2 million for the Scottish club to even consider negotiations between now and the end of the January window.

It remains to be seen what the player’s preference would be in terms of a potential move.

Burnley are 19th in the Premier League table, so can offer top flight football.

However, Vincent Kompany’s side look destined for relegation based on their first half of the campaign, so may not be the strongest long-term option available.

Blackburn are aiming to fight for a play-off place in the Championship, but have fallen behind their rivals in recent weeks and will need an impressive run of form to earn a top six spot.

Meanwhile, Ipswich are fighting for automatic promotion to the Premier League, as they seek a top two finish.

Kieran McKenna’s side are currently second in the table, one point ahead of Southampton in third.

Leeds United are a further four points behind in fourth, highlighting the pressure they are under to maintain their position in the standings.

Next up for the Tractor Boys is an FA Cup fourth round clash against non-league side Maidstone United on 27 January.

Hearts set firm stance

A minimum fee of £2 million to even start negotiations means Hearts are likely looking at a fee maybe closer to £3 or 4 million, which is a blow to the clubs interested - particularly if they were hoping for a cheap deal.

It is unclear whether Ipswich would be willing to pay that this month for someone that might not necessarily go straight into their starting lineup.

Perhaps if Leif Davis departed then a move for Cochrane could come to fruition, but that’s not a scenario most Ipswich supporters would like to see, given how important Davis is.

Blackburn’s financial situation is far more precarious, so it would be surprising if they were able to afford a deal worth that much at this time.