Stoke City, Preston North End and Norwich City eyeing bargain swoop for Burnley man | OneFootball

Stoke City, Preston North End and Norwich City currently head the queue of Championship sides who are after Burnley striker Ashley Barnes, according to a Patreon report from journalist Alan Nixon.

Barnes is currently on the lookout for a new club as he is set to leave Burnley upon the expiry of his contract in June.

It is understood that Stoke have held a long-term interest in Barnes and could have the money available to offer him a lucrative deal as they aim to launch a push for promotion next season.

Preston meanwhile are hoping that their proximity to Barnes' current club Burnley will work to their advantage in this particular pursuit.

As for Norwich, they are looking to draft in a replacement for Teemu Pukki, who will become a free-agent this summer when his deal at Carrow Road expires.

Who could compete with Stoke, Preston and Norwich for Ashley Barnes' signature?

As well as being on the radar of Stoke, Preston and Norwich, Barnes is also said to be a target for Millwall and Cardiff City.

However, as per Nixon, these two sides may struggle to finance a deal for Barnes despite their admiration for the striker.

Middlesbrough meanwhile could also potentially join the race for Barnes' signature.

Would Ashley Barnes be a good signing for a Championship side this summer?

When you consider that Barnes has a proven track-record when it comes to delivering the goods in the Championship, it is hardly a surprise that he is attracting a great deal of interest from teams in this division.

The forward would unquestionably be a good addition to the squads of these aforementioned sides as he knows exactly what it takes to achieve success at this level.

During the 2022/23 campaign, Barnes managed to provide a respectable total of 10 direct goal contributions for Burnley in the second-tier as he helped his side seal promotion to the top-flight.

53 Championship goals during his career, the forward will fancy his chances of making a difference in this division once again in the 2023/24 season.