The Clarets want Cov’s midfield maestro, but they need to ask for cash plus the Irish centre-back Luke McNally in order to
secure the best deal.
Therefore, it’s no surprise to see yet another Sky Blues star linked with a switch to Turf Moor ahead of the 2023-24 season.
The Clarets were believed to hold a long-standing interest in Viktor Gyokeres, but despite a lot of Premier League clubs
being keen on the Swede it is Sporting CP who are poised to sign him from Coventry this summer.
Burnley hold a much stronger interest in another star from the CBS Arena though, and that is Gustavo Hamer.
According to The Telegraph, Hamer is now their top target to bolster midfield options at Turf Moor as part of their big
summer splurge, with £20 million spent on defenders Dara O’Shea and Jordan Beyer whilst Man City goalkeeper James
Trafford is set to arrive for £19 million.
What is Gustavo Hamer’s current situation with Coventry?
Cov fans take great pride in singing that the Dutchman only cost £1 million from PEC Zwolle in 2020, and if sold this
summer, the 26-year-old is set to go for a hell of a lot more than that price.
Doug King of course would not want to sell Hamer as he is an integral part of Mark Robins’ side – after all, he scored 11 times
and assisted a further 10 goals in Coventry’s run to the Championship play-off final last season.
However, Hamer now has less than 12 months remaining on his contract, so now is the time for King to decide whether
Hamer is cashed in on or they risk letting him depart for nothing next summer – and Hamer of course could force the club’s
hand by demanding a move to the Premier League himself.
With over £20 million banked from the sale of Gyokeres – then taking Brighton’s sell-on clause into account – Coventry still
have a lot of money left over following the Simms deal to play with even after factoring in wages and other payments for next season.
But it still could be too much of a risk to lose Hamer next year for absolutely nothing, hence why the club must listen to
Burnley when they come in with an official approach for Hamer’s services – they must demand one thing in particular
though when it comes to a deal.
What should Coventry demand in Burnley deal for Gustavo Hamer?
If Coventry have to lose Hamer this summer, then it’s not just cold, hard cash they could benefit from.
Coventry could also add a player to their squad through any potential deal to send Hamer away, and Burnley just so happen
to have someone that Mark Robins desires.
In January, Cov loaned in Luke McNally from the Clarets to bolster their defensive options and give him the first-team
football he needed after spending most of the first half of the campaign on the sidelines following his move to Lancashire
from Oxford United.
McNally ended up forming part of a defence that was incredibly solid between his arrival and the play-off final, playing every
single minute between the first time he was available and the end of the season and conceding just 12 goals in 22 matches,
with 10 clean sheets kept as part of an incredibly solid unit.
It’s no surprise therefore that Coventry want him back, especially as they are incredibly short of bodies at the back going into
the 2023-24 season, but McNally’s performances, coupled with the three years left on his contract, probably value him at
around the £3-4 million mark.
That is why Coventry need to be asking and probably demanding that McNally is included on a permanent basis in any deal
that could take Hamer to Turf Moor – he deserves Premier League football of course but the Irish defender is not going to get
game-time with the arrivals of O’Shea, Beyer and Soumaila Coulibaly at the club.
Burnley may still have to pay an eight-figure fee for Hamer even with McNally going the other way, but it may be money well
spent and for Coventry, they’d not only get lots of money to re-invest in their engine room and other positions but also an
incredibly talented player.
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