Coyle to discuss terms with Mears
CLARETS boss Owen Coyle is hoping to make Derby County right back Tyrone Mears his first summer signing.
Burnley agreed a fee with the Rams on Wednesday, believed to be 500,000 with add-ons, and the 26-year-old jetted in from a holiday in Marbella yesterday afternoon to discuss terms.
Coyle feels the pacy full back, who spent last season on loan with Marseille, ticks every box as he looks to strengthen his squad for the Premier League challenge.
He feels he could be landing a hungry player at a good age, with something to prove at the top level in England, and hopes to secure a deal imminently: "We've agreed a fee, but there's still a bit of talking to be done, because Tyrone was in Marbella, and, to be fair to the lad, such was keeness, he was prepared to fly in.
"But he was on loan at Marseille last season, so much so they wanted to make the move permanent, so there's no doubt the level he is capable of playing at.
"He's 26, played in the Premier League with West Ham and Derby, and moved for a million and more twice, so that shows the value people have placed on him.
"Marseille agreed a fee of $1.5m. euros with Derby, so that tells you the value they held him in, but we aren't going to have to pay that."
Coyle has followed his career for some time, starting out at Manchester City, before spells with Preston, West Ham, Derby and in France, where he scored the goal against Ajax which took Marseille into the UEFA Cup quarter-finals, and he added: "In terms of a photo-fit of what we need, he's got everything about him.
"My liking of him as a player has always been there for a number of years, but, equally, I think he has a point to prove and he wants to show he's a Premier League player.
"He had a brief taste of that, and I would hope, after speaking to him on the phone, he's keen to do ever so well and be a Premier League player.
"He's got pace to burn, and I've been impressed with the background in terms of him as a lad, which is so important to me, and I've had good vibes from that point of view as well.
"It's not finalised by any manner of means, but if he can fit in what we are trying to do, he will be a tremendous acquisition."
Burnley used Michael Duff, Russell Anderson and Rhys Williams at right back last season – with Wade Elliott also making an appearance as an auxiliary full back at Sheffield United, and Coyle is glad to have closed in on a target for that role.
But should Mears sign, that doesn't necessarily mean he won't go back for Williams or Anderson: "It's a position we have been looking at, because Rhys Williams had to go back, and Russell Anderson had the injury.
"I'm always interested in good players, and we're always looking to strengthen the squad. If the right player becomes available at the right price, that's what we're looking for."
It is said that the team that triumphs at Wembley in the Championship play-off final is immediately at a disadvantage in terms of bringing players in, with their season finishing three weeks later than the two sides automatically promoted, but Coyle isn't a believer of that cliche: "Ordinarilly, teams that win the play-off final are playing catch-up, but I don't think that affects us as such because, when all's said and done, we will have the lowest budget in the Premier League by a mile, so it's not as if we were missing out on certain players, because we weren't going to get them anyway!
"I've been looking to target, similar to last year, hungry players that want to aspire to be better players, maybe some of them have a point to prove, and they come in within our remit, in terms of our finance.
"So, it's similar, although the difference is last year we were looking at players capable of playing in the Championship who could improve, and now, as difficult as it is, you use your judgement to make sure you bring in players you think can play and improve in the Premier League.
"The nature of the Premier League is it's packed with pace and power, and we want to add more of that to help the players we've got, who have done ever so well.
"There's no doubt they can hold their own in the Premier League, and we're trying to complement everything they've got."
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