Preston North End, Burnley and Coventry City in transfer race for defender | OneFootball

The Lilywhites are reportedly interested in 21-year-old Ilay Camara but face competition from Championship rivals Coventry City

Preston North End, Burnley and Coventry City are eyeing moves for RWD Molenbeek wing-back Ilay Camara, according to reports from The Lancashire Post and journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

The 21-year-old joined Belgian Pro League outfit RWD Molenbeek last summer after having previously featured for Anderlecht, and it's reported that if the Championship trio were to move for Camara it would set them back around £1.5million - £2million.

A move to the Championship reportedly appeals to the young Belgian wing-back, so the interested trio have a good chance of securing his services providing they are able to cough up the transfer fee.

Transfer interest in Ilay Camara

The summer transfer window opened on Friday and both Preston and Coventry, who finished 9th and 10th respectively, missing out on the play-offs, will be looking to add to their squad this summer to help them break into the top six.

Meanwhile, Burnley will be looking to make an immediate return to the Premier League, and acting head coach Craig Bellamy will be aware of Camara's talent, having worked at his former club, Anderlecht.

It is understood that Preston are keen on a permanent move for the 21-year-old, though a loan-to-buy option has also been suggested during initial talks between the Lilywhites and RWD Molenbeek.

Preston director Peter Risdale told The Lancashire Post that he expects Preston to make four or five signings this summer should nobody leave, with a centre-back, a midfielder and a wide player on the shopping list, with Camara likely filling the void of the wide player signing.

However, Preston won't have it all their own way with a move for the 21-year-old, and they're set to face competition from Coventry City and Burnley.

Mark Robins' Coventry side would be an attractive club to join thanks to their performances in recent years, and the Sky Blues are an ambitious side when it comes to signings, having already made one signing this summer in the form of Raphael Borges Rodrigues.

Camara has clearly done something right at RWD Molenbeek to attract interest from a number of Championship clubs, and if things go to plan, he'll be playing his football in the English second tier come the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

Ilay Camara impressed during the 2023/24 campaign

The 2023/24 campaign was RWD Molenbeek's first season back in the Belgian Pro League after winning promotion the previous season, and Camara impressed for the Brussels-based outfit, despite their eventual relegation this season.

The right-sided wide player made 31 appearances for his club, scoring three times and registering seven assists, a decent return which shows Camara's attacking prowess.

Camara is contracted to RWD Molenbeek until the end of the 2025/26 campaign, but the club's relegation could be a blessing for interested clubs, as the player may not want to play in the second tier of Belgian football, and selling him could raise funds for the club.

The 23/24 campaign was Camara's first taste of senior first-team football after joining from Anderlecht, and he performed well, so it's no surprise that clubs are interested, with the 21-year-old only likely to improve in the coming years.