According to reports, Burnley are now eyeing a move for Ligue 1 side’s Nicolas de Preville as Sean Dyche had to lose Andre Gray to Watford just one week before the season started. However, it didn’t stop the Clarets from getting a brilliant 3-2 win over Premier League defending champions Chelsea over the weekend.
Gray was definitely one of their star players last season but with Burnley seemingly learning the art of winning games away from home, his replacement although necessary hasn’t been an immediate concern for the manager. In the likes of Robbie Brady and Sam Vokes, Burnley have found two assuring forwards who put up a marvellous performance against a tough side last day.
Burnley have brought in five players this summer, which includes goal keeper Adam Legzdins from Birmingham City, left back Charlie Taylor from Leeds United, central midfielder Phil Bardsley and right winger Jonathan Walters from Stoke City and defensive midfielder Jack Cork from Swansea City.
The departure of Gray leaves a void to be filled and Burnley have considered many options. According to reports, apart from the £12million bid that they have tabled for Lille’s Nicolas de Preville, Serie A Napoli’s Colombian striker Duvan Zapata has also been of interest to the club.
Following their survival in the league last season with quite an average squad, Dyche has earned the respect of many and the club now has financial prowess to go after their priorities. 26-year-old Preville looks like a brilliant replacement for Gray with his suitable height and pace that a centre forward would need to match the physical nature of the league.
The French forward is in his prime with some dazzling skills from the open spaces and an eye for goal. He managed to score 14 goals in 30 games for the French side last campaign after he was loaned off by Belgian side KV Ostend. Lille weren’t to let such a talent slip through their fingers and they decided to make his deal permanent this summer as soon as the season ended.
The player wasted no time in opening his account for Lille in their 3-0 opening day victory over Nantes last week. An academy product of Ligue 2 side Istres FC, Preville moved to Stade Reims before KV Oostende bought him in the summer of 2016. He was new to the league and the Belgian side decided to loan him off to Lille that season itself.
Since then, Preville has scored 15 goals and has an assist in 34 games for Lille so far. However, since playing for France U-20s, Preville hasn’t been able to make the cut. With World Cup coming up next season, he would want to hog some of the limelight that Premier League does provide.
