Burnley are believed to have stepped up their interest in Hertha Berlin star, Dodi Lukebakio, with manager Vincent Kompany continuing what has already been a hectic summer window thus far for the Premier League new boys.

What are the latest Burnley transfer rumours?

Having already made ten signings to date – with talks also being held regarding Aston Villa’s Aaron Ramsey – journalist Sacha Tavolieiri has now revealed that a bid of around €13m (£11m) has already been lodged by the Clarets in order to sign the Belgian forward

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: “Confirmed! Been told #BurnleyFC did an offer of 11M€ + 2M€ add-ons to #HerthaBSC last Friday! Clarets are waiting for the final answer of the Belgian by the END of the WEEK to close the deal. Wait&See.”

This comes following a prior Tweet from Tavolieri which had also noted the Lancashire side’s interest in the 25-year-old, albeit with Serie A side Atalanta also said to be keen:

“Infos #BurnleyFC : There is a concrete interest of #BurnleyFC that exists for Dodi Lukebakio & #HerthaBSC wants indeed to get 10M€ from this deal but I’ve been told the right winger doesn’t want to play relegation again as he did with Hertha Berlin last season according to the latest.

“Atalanta Bergamo still on the Belgian track. To be continued.”

How good is Dodi Lukebakio?

Despite having already brought in the likes of Nathan Redmond and Jacob Bruun Larsen this summer, it would appear that the Turf Moor outfit are still keen to strengthen their wide options, having also seen a £9m bid rejected by Southampton for ex-loanee Nathan Tella in recent weeks.

The latter man had been an instrumental figure in Burnley’s rampant promotion charge last season after scoring 17 goals and providing five assists in 39 Championship appearances, with it no surprise that Kompany and co are keen to bring the 24-year-old back to the club on a permanent basis.

With the Saints thus far holding firm with regard to sanctioning the sale of the Englishman – with Tella featuring for Russell Martin’s side against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend – it could be wise to consider alternative options, such as Lukebakio.

The former Watford man mirrors Tella in the fact that he also typically operates in a right-wing berth, with the 6 foot 2 whiz having enjoyed a promising individual campaign in the Bundesliga last time out, after bagging 11 goals and contributing four assists in 32 outings.

Despite Hertha ultimately slipping to relegation, that solid return of goal contributions is a marker of the forward’s talents, with the eight-cap international having recorded 46 goals and assists in 100 games in total for his current side.

 

Previously lauded as “incredible” by former Fortuna Dusseldorf teammate Oliver Fink after netting a hat-trick against Bayern Munich back in 2018, Lukebakio could prove to be a real attacking weapon for Kompany next season, thus easing the loss of the influential Tella.

One key strength of the Hertha star is his ability for being able to beat his man down the flanks, as he notably ranks in the top 12% among his European peers for successful take-ons at an average of 2.57 per 90, with that superior record to what the current Southampton man has achieved across the last 365 days (1.25 successful take-ons per 90).

Also an “incredibly fast” asset – as described by Fortuna’s Adam Bodzek – the £41k-per-week livewire could well be tormenting Premier League defences next season under the watchful eye of his compatriot, Kompany.

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Aston Villa: Villans “well-placed” to sign Joao Felix

The Atletico Madrid forward could move to Villa Park “later in the window.”Aston Villa are now “well-placed” to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, in what could be a “last-minute” deal at a later stage in the transfer window, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

Who is Joao Felix joining this summer?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed that Felix will be leaving Atletico Madrid this summer, claiming that the “player’s priority” is either a move to Barcelona, or to remain in Europe, but he already has another offer on the table.

Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal are also interested, with manager Jorge Jesus personally contacting the Portugal international on a number of occasions to discuss a deal, and a one-year loan deal is potentially in the pipeline.

Back in July, it was reported that interest in the 23-year-old is relatively low, with Benfica hoping it stays that way so they can launch a bid to bring him back late on in the summer window, although they cannot compete with the finances of other potential suitors.

Read The Latest Aston Villa Transfer News HERE

However, in a recent interview with GiveMeSport, Taylor has now detailed that Villa could also make a late swoop in the transfer market, and he indicates they could stand a good chance of winning the race for the forward’s signature, saying

“He doesn’t really have any top suitors out there anymore as the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have all moved on and PSG doesn’t really seem to be avenue. The only one that sort of stands out is Barcelona, but again I don’t know what their finances are truly like, so I’m not sure.

“There is going to come a stage where Jorge Mendes is probably going to look to try and get him a last-minute transfer and later in the window is an opportunity for someone to capitalise on, and Aston Villa are well-placed definitely.”

How good is Joao Felix?

There is no doubting that the former Chelsea man is capable of competing at the very highest level, having been lauded as “world class” by journalist Nick Emms during his loan spell at Stamford Bridge last season, but his career has not quite gone to plan.

After bursting onto the scene with Benfica, amassing 24 goal contributions in 26 league games during the 2018-19 campaign, the Viseu-born attacker completed a £113m move to Atletico Madrid, however his performances never justified that price tag

Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin stated the £240k-per-week earner “had trouble adapting” to Diego Simeone’s system, and after falling out with the manager, he was ultimately allowed to leave.

The Benfica academy graduate came into Chelsea at a difficult time, given the Blues’ struggles in the Premier League last season, but he managed to score four goals in 16 top-flight games,

During his time at Stamford Bridge, the Portuguese attacker continued to demonstrate his attacking flair, ranking in the 93rd percentile for successful take-ons per 90, when compared to his positional peers, and the 95th percentile for progressive carries.

Now that he’s had his first taste of Premier League football, Felix could be a solid signing for Villa, and it is exciting news they are well-placed to sign him this summer