Burnley join Premier League duo on Bristol Rovers scouting mission | OneFootball

Burnley, Brighton and Brentford are all tracking Bristol Rovers' teenage midfield talent.

Championship leaders Burnley are checking out Bristol Rovers starlet Kofi Shaw, but face competition from Premier League duo Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion.

That's according to a report from journalist Alan Nixon via Patreon on Sunday.

The 18-year-old was recalled early from his loan at Yeovil Town in February, and has impressed for Inigo Calderon's side upon his return to the Memorial Stadium. This has naturally seen interest emerge from Championship and Premier League clubs.

Nixon reports that Championship leaders Burnley watched Shaw on Saturday and last week, but weren't alone in their spying mission.

Both Brentford and Brighton have also reportedly watched the former West Brom academy prospect, as a transfer battle to secure Shaw's signature this summer could ensue.

Burnley join Brentford and Brighton in Bristol Rovers scouting mission

Shaw enjoyed a successful few months at Huish Park in his first-ever senior loan spell, netting two goals in 17 outings for the Glovers - the loan stint in the National League has proven to be hugely beneficial to the teenager's development.

Following his recall to his parent club in February, Shaw has found himself becoming a first-team regular under Calderon, who admitted to being a massive fan of the academy prospect. This has seen interest from higher up the English football pyramid begin to surge.

As per Nixon's report on Sunday, Burnley went on a spying mission to watch the young midfielder recently, but weren't alone in doing so. Premier League duo Brighton and Brentford were also reportedly watching Shaw in his recent matches.

This means if the Clarets want to land his signature, they'll be facing a battle with two clubs renowned for developing youngsters.

The reported stance of Bristol Rovers is that they might decide to cash in on their exciting prospect in the summer, but Nixon also stated that the final decision may rest with the player, as he looks for the best possible progression path.

Kofi Shaw deal could be a real coup for Burnley

Whilst Shaw is far from the finished product, it's rare to see midfielders getting regular game time in the EFL at his age.

Clearly very highly-rated by Bristol Rovers, and fresh off the back of a strong loan spell, it would be a no-brainer for a higher club to try to snap him up.

The teenager is under contract with the Gas until June 2027, so a deal to sign Shaw wouldn't come cheap, especially with how highly his head coach speaks of him.

This isn't the first time that the 18-year-old has been the subject of interest from Premier League and Championship sides, however.

In September 2024, Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Southampton were all reportedly monitoring Shaw, but a deal never came to fruition. This allowed him to join Yeovil on loan, finding confidence, returning to Bristol Rovers, and keeping that interest alive heading into the summer.

Burnley will be looking to add some exciting young players to their ranks if they gain promotion back to the Premier League. With numerous clubs reportedly keen on Shaw, beating their competitors to his signature could be a real coup.

The midfielder's price is only going to go up from here as he continues to develop, and the Clarets may be able to turn a huge profit on him in the future.