Burnley make £12million bid for Lille striker Nicolas de Preville to replace Watford-bound ace Andre Gray
Fourteen goals in 30 games last season persuade Clarets boss Sean Dyche that Frenchman is perfect to lead front line
BURNLEY want Lille forward Nicolas de Preville to replace Andre Gray.
Fourteen goals in 30 games last season have persuaded Clarets boss Sean Dyche to launch a £12million bid.
Gray has moved to Watford for better wages with Dyche saying: "There's still a level this club operates to.
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"It makes it tough at times but it's the reality.
"I'm not going to start crying about it bit it's difficult."
De Preville came on loan to Lille from Belgian side KV Ostend.
The deal was made permanent this summer and de Preville netted in the 3-0 opening day win over Nantes.
Burnley have also been looking at Colombian Duvan Zapata of Napoli.
But Frenchman de Preville is their favoured choice, being 6ft tall, skilful and with pace.
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He can also play on either wing as well as in the central role.
Burnley, meanwhile, have had a £5m bid for Hull City winger Sam Clucas turned down.
Dyche's team open up their Premier League season at champions Chelsea on Saturday - a tough call.
But he said: “You can’t just think it’s about playing Chelsea, our first five or six away games are tough on paper.
“You have to take them all on at some point.
"There’s an obvious run of tough games coming at the beginning of the season, that’s the way it is, you just get on with it.
“You can’t measure yourself on one game, it’s on a full season’s worth."
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