Burnley set for transfer blow as Man Utd step up Sander Berge negotiations | OneFootball

Burnley could be set to lose talismanic midfielder Sander Berge to Manchester United this summer.

Manchester United are pushing ahead with a move for Fenerbahçe target Sander Berge, as they look to bolster Erik ten Hag's midfield options for the forthcoming season with the Burnley midfielder.

Manchester United have held initial talks with Berge and Burnley and are said to be exploring the conditions of the deal, per Sky Sports' Dharmesh Sheth.

Berge only made the move to Turf Moor last summer, when he signed from Sheffield United for a reported £12 million. The Clarets may have endured a miserable season last time out in the Premier League which culminated in relegation, but Berge, who joined from Sheffield United 12 months ago, was one of few to emerge with credit given how he played.

His performances in the top-flight appear to have attracted transfer interest from Turkish giants Fenerbahçe, and TEAMtalk recently revealed that Burnley have placed a minimum £20 million price tag on the Norwegian midfielder.

However, as first reported by Football Transfers, the Red Devils could move for Berge if they fail to sign Manuel Ugarte from PSG. Other reports have stated that Fenerbahçe are ‘growing in confidence’ that they will be able to sign Berge, with Jose Mourinho said to be pushing to make it happen.

It doesn’t appear as though a deal is imminent, as the same report explains that Burnley are holding firm on their €25 million valuation of the player, with Fenerbahçe’s latest offer thought to be around €15 million.

A new midfielder looks to be on the agenda for Manchester United this summer, and they have been linked with a move for Ugarte from PSG to fill that role throughout the transfer window. However, recent updates believe they could instead turn their attention to Berge as a cheaper alternative to add to their midfield.

According to The Athletic, the Norwegian's camp has been contacted about a potential move to Old Trafford before the market shuts later this month. Meanwhile, according to The Sun, the Clarets will be asking for more than double what they paid to sign him from Sheffield United just 12 months ago, and are holding out for a fee closer to £30 million.

The latest comes from Dharmesh Sheth, with the reporter stating that both Berge and AS Monaco's Youssouf Fofana are in initial talks with the English footballing giants:

From Burnley's side of things, they could apparently also be open to a sale, as they look to balance the books in the wake of their relegation to the Championship. However, purely from a football perspective, losing Berge would be a blow for Scott Parker, as he is a good all-round midfielder by Championship standards.

Sander Berge would be a huge loss for Burnley

Berge was an important part of Burnley’s squad last year in the top-flight, making 37 appearances as they suffered relegation back to the Championship.

Berge was one of the Clarets' most consistent performers last season and could be a linchpin in their side for the new campaign. Alongside Josh Brownhill and Josh Cullen, the trio could form a dominant midfield.

The powerful box-to-box midfielder has the physicality to thrive in the second tier. Not only is he comfortable in possession, but he will chip in with goals and assists - as he has done previously, so he would be very difficult to replace with a player of similar quality.

He has the ability to dominate a midfield through all phases of play both in and out of possession, particularly in the Championship. However, it's difficult to turn down a club of Man United's standing and stature in the English game.