Burnley are likely to miss out on the signing of Swansea City defender Alfie Mawson. Latest reports in the Express suggest that Fulham are the frontrunners to seal the deal for the 24-year-old defender and this could be a big miss for Sean Dyche as he looks to get his team into the Europa League main draws.
Mawson was one of the standout players for the Swans last season as they went down to the Championship after finishing 19th. They had a chance to stay up, however, they lost a crucial encounter against Southampton which sealed their future in the English second division. The English defender has been linked with a move away from the club ever since the transfer window started as the 24-year-old is touted as too good a player to play in the English second division.
The Clarets built their season on the back of some strong defensive performances and the likes of Ben Mee and James Tarkowski had a fantastic season. Signing Mawson would have boosted Dyche’s squad, however, he will have to look at other alternatives. The defender is still recovering from the knee surgery which kept him out in the latter half of the last season. There were some talks of Mawson being picked for England’s squad for the World Cup, however, he failed to recover on time. With Burnley set to miss out on signing him, we look at three alternatives Dyche can go after.
Ahmed Hegazy
With the Baggies going down to the Championship, their players can be available on a cut-price deal. Hegazi gave a good account of himself in his first season in the English top flight. The Egyptian has all the capabilities which a good defender needs as he is brave and strong in the air. The 27-year-old can be a decent deputy for the likes of Mee and Tarkowski.
Craig Dawson
The English defender is one of the top players of West Bromwich Albion and given the experience he has in the Premier League he will be a good addition at the Turf Moor. Add to that his versatility, the defender could be a bargain signing for Dyche.
Winston Reid
West Ham United are looking for a new beginning under Manuel Pellegrini and the Chilean manager has already gone on to sign two centre-backs which will put the Kiwi defender below the pecking order. With the amount of experience and the capabilities he has got, Reid can be a good addition at the Turf Moor.
