Report: £7m-rated England international keen to join Kieran Trippier at Newcastle

By Will Butcher

The Telegraph claim Burnley defender James Tarkowski is keen on a move to join Newcastle United in the January window. Tarkowski is out of contract at the end of the season, and he is said to be tempted by a move to Tyneside.

Tarkowski, 29, joined Burnley back in the summer of 2016 from Brentford. He has since clocked up 199 appearances in all competitions, potentially making his landmark 200th outing next weekend in the FA Cup against Huddersfield.

But it appears that the two-time England international is also keen on leaving Turf Moor. Sean Dyche is keen to keep Tarkowski at the club and lose him on a free, rather than selling him in January and receiving a cut-price fee.

However, Tarkowski is keen to go this month and join Newcastle – with Kieran Trippier seemingly close to completion. The Sun report that West Ham are also interested in Tarkowski, with the player rated at £7million.

Tarkowski wants Newcastle move: Toon may have to pay over odds

Not only Dyche, but Burnley as a club will hardly want to hand their relegation rivals a chance of staying in the division – by selling Tarkowski. However, if a fee is big enough to bring in a replacement, then Burnley could be tempted.

A fee of £7million is probably not going to do it. But if Burnley receive £15million or more, then they surely have to accept given his contract is up in the summer. It gives them a good chance of replacing Tarkowski.