Burnley player wanted by Besiktas & Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as £20m transfer price-tag emerges | OneFootball

Zeki Amdouni is attracting interest from the Turkish giants.

Burnley striker Zeki Amdouni has emerged as a transfer target for Turkish outfit Besiktas following the conclusion of his loan with Benfica.

The Clarets were beaten to the Championship title on goal difference by Leeds United, but still finished with an emphatic total of 100 points.

Their promotion push was underpinned by a remarkable defensive record, which saw them concede just 16 league goals all season. While that solidity will stand them in good stead next season, such is the strength of the top flight now that several additions will still be necessary if they are to compete for survival.

With that in mind, Burnley may also have to ship out certain members of their squad, in order to bring in fresh faces.

Besiktas are interested in Zeki Amdouni after spending season away from Burnley

Burnley confirmed their Premier League return with a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United on Easter Monday, and ever since that day, they have been linked with plenty of potential new additions.

The likes of Faveurdi Bongeli, Daniel Peretz and Otar Kiteishvili have all been linked with a switch to Turf Moor, but now it looks likely that the Clarets’ first piece of business this summer could actually be a sale.

According to reports from Turkish journalist Gokmen Ozcan, Besiktas are interested in Burnley’s forward Zeki Amdouni.

The Turkish giants are reportedly stepping up their pursuit of the 24-year-old, with boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believed to be keen to add to his attacking options, as fellow attackers Ciro Immobile and Semih Kilicsoy are both poised to exit the club.

Amdouni has spent the season on loan at Benfica, and Burnley are understood to be happy to sell the Switzerland international, if Besiktas were to table an offer in the region of £20m for his services.

The versatile attacker is also thought to be interested in a move to Besiktas, who he supported as a child.

The Swiss international is Turkish-born, and could be set to join one of their biggest clubs during this summer’s window.

Hopes were high for Amdouni when Burnley signed him in the summer of 2023, but he hasn’t really lived up to expectations so far.

The forward had been electric for Basel in the 2022/23 campaign, notching 22 goals in all competitions, but he has struggled to show that form on a consistent basis at Turf Moor.

After joining for a fee which was believed to be in excess of £15m, Amdouni notched five league goals and one assist in his debut season in English football, but was unable to prevent his new club from falling into the Championship.

This year, he has spent the season on loan at Benfica, where he struck seven goals and two assists from 24 games in the Portuguese league.

Amdouni has shown flashes of quality during his time with the Lancashire outfit, but hasn’t really produced enough on a regular basis to justify his fee at present.

However, he is undoubtedly a player who is ready for the Premier League and could feel like a new signing for Burnley if he is successfully reintegrated into the squad ahead of next term.

On the other hand, given his mixed fortunes so far in claret and blue, it could also make sense for Burnley to sell and reinvest the money. If they could attract a bid in the region of £20m, they would have at least recouped their initial outlay.

While that is surely far from what Burnley would have hoped for when they first signed Amdouni, it could provide Scott Parker with valuable funds to build a side capable of staying in the top flight.