Burnley take defender on trial following £13m Wolves and Brentford bids

John Egan is reportedly on trial at Burnley following his release from Sheffield United at the end of June.

The Clarets are weighing up a move as they seek to replace another Republic of Ireland international - Dara O’Shea - who looks set for a return to the Premier League.

This is according to Football Insider, with a recent report claiming Egan has linked up with Burnley in a bid to impress new manager Scott Parker. The 31-year-old was a regular for Sheffield United for five seasons but was out of sorts last campaign.

Egan featured 224 times for the Blades across the Premier League and the Championship but only played 484 league minutes last campaign. Chris Wilder decided to let the defender’s contract run down, allowing him to find a new club as a free agent.

If Burnley do decide to sign Egan, it will be good news for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford as there will be a ready replacement for O’Shea. Albeit less likely to start, Egan’s arrival would mean the Clarets wouldn’t have to panic about O’Shea’s departure.

As reported on Thursday, Wolves and Brentford have both submitted bids to sign O’Shea, with the Old Gold’s offer in the region of £13 million. Burnley are said to be holding out for £15 million, so a deal is theoretically close.

O’Shea, despite being a West Bromwich Albion academy product with 107 appearances, would prefer a move to bitter rivals Wolves rather than Brentford. The 25-year-old could cause some local tension if he completes a move to Molineux, especially as he captained Albion during his final season at The Hawthorns.