Scott Twine in transfer limbo as Bristol City push for move amid Burnley uncertainty

Scott Twine has reported back for the start of pre-season training with Burnley as Bristol City continue to hold talks over a summer move for the playmaker.

Twine has spent some of the off-season training at the Robins High Performance Centre, with his family based at Royal Wootton Bassett along the M4 in Wiltshire, and expects to leave Turf Moor this summer but a transfer is yet to be agreed.

The 24-year-old was pictured arriving at Gawthorpe Hall on Monday alongside teammates, with Craig Bellamy in interim charge of the squad until a permanent manager can be appointed. Ruud van Nistelrooy has reportedly rejected the chance to take over, instead preferring to become part of Erik ten Hag’s staff at Manchester United. Bellamy, meanwhile, has been linked with the Wales job following Rob Page’s sacking last week.

The uncertainty over the direction of Burnley as they prepare for life back in the Championship certainly hasn’t helped making this a straightforward negotiation, although all transfers go through co-chief operating officer Matt Williams who has been with the club since 2016.

There are a number of players in the first-team squad who were expecting to leave this summer had Kompany stayed in the job but now have the potential to change opinion, depending on who eventually takes over. That could feasibly include Twine as Burnley didn’t really play with an orthodox No10 in the Premier League under Kompany, and when they did it tended to be Swiss international Zeki Amdouni who may be moving on this summer to seek top-flight football. That being said, the expectation remains at this stage that Twine is more likely to leave than stay.

City would ideally like to bring the midfielder back to Ashton Gate on a permanent deal, with Twine a priority target of head coach Liam Manning, but discussions have also been held over a second temporary switch with an obligation to buy next summer.

That is largely down to Burnley holding firm over their valuation of Twine which they hope to rise towards £5m due to interest elsewhere, particularly from League One Birmingham City who are reportedly equipped with a £20m budget to try and earn promotion back to the Championship.

Burnley paid £4m to sign Twine from MK Dons two years ago and hope to recoup as much of that investment as is possible. Given budget contractions, and the need for players elsewhere in attack - a striker and a winger - City appear reluctant to go that high, hence the possibility of a loan. The Robins have already seen fellow hopeful targets Bojan Miovski and Lassine Sinayoko priced either at or beyond the £4m mark, forcing them to consider other options.

Although City remain Twine’s preferential destination, and ideally he does not want to drop down a division, Blues have the financial capabilities to meet the Clarets’ asking price while also offering an attractive salary package.

Their transfer strategy this summer will be driven by a desire to sign players who not only will be able to get them out of League One at the first time of asking, but also instantly be competitive in the Championship, citing the example of Ipswich Town.

City are set to return to the HPC later this week for pre-season testing and the desire within the club at the start of the off-season period was for at least one new arrival to be part of Manning’s squad.

That looks unlikely, but there is considerable time before the season starts, with fixture release day on Wednesday bringing the forthcoming campaign into focus. City’s first confirmed summer friendlies aren't until July 23 against Newport County and Aldershot Town, although the Robins do have an overseas training camp at the start of the month and there is potential for another game before that date.

Due to the lack of a long-term managerial appointment, Burnley are yet to confirm their summer schedule beyond an encounter against non-league Warrington Rylands on July 9.

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