Burnley unwilling to match Swans current valuation

Last night’s news that Burnley were showing a late transfer interest in Michael Obafemi would have got much discussion going amongst Swans fans especially in the thoughts that it was always likely to be Joel Piroe that we lost this summer.

The club have long since signalled their requirement to see people leave before too many arrive and the double capture of Luke Cundle and Armstrong Oko-Flex on loan in the last 2 days have heightened the belief that some are about to leave.

If the reports are to be understood correctly last night in their detail the Swans are looking for anywhere between £10-£12m for Obafemi, a figure arguably higher now than what many believe they would accept for Piroe.

That in itself is likely to lead to negotiation depending on the desire of Burnley – and any other interested parties – to land the striker who had a good second half of the season in SA1 last time around.

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany is certainly not in a position where he wants to see his side held to ransom as he explained to Burnley Live.

“I have a pragmatic approach, we always have to look to add to the squad and as long as the window is open we have to keep looking,” said Kompany.

“But we are not going to do any business that puts the club in danger. It is easy to get giddy and carried away and say let’s get the one player that gets you up and if you don’t then it is the one player that bankrupts you. We are not going to do that, hopefully we still can improve and if not then the players we have can still improve a lot this season. We do not want any high fives on the other end when they have sold a player to us.

“We will work hard to make it happen and if there is a fair deal to be made then we know one when we see one. It is not our goal to make other clubs high five.”

We have said for much of the summer that the Swans stance early doors of making sides know we needed to sell was the wrong tactic and our desire to sell and improve will likely be tested by this interest from Burnley (which at the time of writing is nothing more than a general enquiry)

It is difficult to see a world where an eight figure transfer fee is commanded for Obafemi so this can either be a statement of intent in a “we are not selling way” or an initial rebuff just to see how interested Burnley are.   The former seems unlikely, the latter very much a possibility in our view.

Burnley themselves have some well known financial concerns after their drop from the Premier League back in May so Kompany’s words are understandable.  Gone are the days where Burnley’s pot is plentiful so they will work carefully and the reports last night may or may not come to something although when it generally reaches the likes of Talksport it tends to be slightly more than the traditional agent chat.

Time will tell on this one but the Swans must think about the potential of losing Obafemi and if that happens then holding onto Piroe becomes essential.   Losing one we can probably cope with (assuming it brings in strength elsewhere) but losing two to a side already lacking on the goals front would be more than worrying.

Two days to go and the small matter of a league fixture at Stoke tonight – as we said before, never a dull moment.