Burnley manager Nicky Hayen admits he’d rather keep Blues target Zian Flemming but concedes players have the ambition to play at the highest level and if an offer matches their valuation it’s difficult to keep hold of them.

As revealed this morning, Flemming has travelled to Suffolk to undergo his medical and complete the formalities on his move with the clubs still tying up the details of the deal but with the framework believed to essentially be in place for a £20 million switch.

The Clarets host Middlesbrough in the Championship tomorrow and Hayen spoke to the press ahead of that game at lunchtime when he was quizzed on the latest position regarding Flemming.

“So clubs, of course, until the end of the window, are talking to each other to find agreements. Everyone has a value, which is what I always said,” he told the Burnley Express.

“Of course, there's interest in Zian, but at the end of the day, we will know if he will stay or go.”

Asked whether it was his preference that the Dutchman stays at Turf Moor, he added: “Of course it is. Zian is really important for the team, we know, so I'd rather want to keep him than let him go.

“But, like I said, everyone has the ambition to play at the highest level possible, but there's also a value of the player.

“When, for example, a club pays the value for the player, it will be difficult to keep him. But until then, he's still part of our team.

“We work in a transparent way and that's the way I want to communicate also with the people. So I'm totally aware of what is going on and, of course, when someone goes out, we try to replace him.

“But, like we said, we still have enough names we can work with and I think the most important thing for us is preparing the game in the best possible way.”

On yesterday's reports that a £17 million fee has been under discussion, the Belgian continued: “I don't know. I just know there are conversations with clubs but I don't know anything about the value that's between clubs.”

Hayen confirmed that he would want to replace Flemming should the move to Town go through and says the Championship club have contingencies in mind.

“If he goes, and I say if he goes, I think we have to find a replacement,” he said. “We're always busy with options, so if one player goes, we also have a list that another player has to come, so that's common business as usual.”

Asked whether there would be time to do a deal and might that scupper Flemming’s switch to the Blues, he added: “Exactly, so then you have how many hours left? Eight or nine?”

Flemming has been tipped for a move away from Turf Moor all summer following Burnley’s relegation to the Championship with Everton, Lille and Brentford having been linked.

The Dutchman joined the Lancastrians from Millwall in August 2024, initially on loan with the move made permanent for £7 million the following summer.

Last season, Amsterdam-born Flemming netted 12 times in total, 11 in the Premier League, and this term bagged three in his first two matches.

He started his career with hometown club Ajax, featuring for their reserves side before moving on to PEC Zwolle in 2018, spending time on loan at NEC before joining Fortuna Sittard in 2020, prior to his switch to Millwall two years later.

Town had agreed a loan deal with Aston Villa for Tammy Abraham, but yesterday Unai Emery confirmed that the former England man would be remaining in Birmingham.

Flemming now appears certain to be the only Town signing on deadline day.

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