Burnley will announce the signing of Charlie Taylor from Leeds United on Thursday, according to the Mirror.
The newspaper claim that Sean Dyche’s side have put the finishing touches to a deal that will take the left-back from Elland Road even though a compensation fee is not agreed.
The Mirror report that Taylor is joining on a Bosman from Leeds and do not stipulate the fee but separate reports state, including by the Yorkshire Evening Post, the transfer will eventually be settled at over £5million.
Burnley have swooped for Taylor after his contract expired last weekend, although he has remained on Leeds’ payroll and they retain his registration.
The Championship big hitters are likely to secure a multi-million pound sum because they are due compensation for his development costs.
Taylor joined the Leeds academy at the age of nine and progressed through the ranks to become an established first-team player who won the club’s 2015-16 player of the year award.
The 23-year-old made 104 appearances for United but his final season was marked by discord, injury and mixed form.
Taylor submitted a transfer request at the start of last season but it was rejected by Leeds and they once again snubbed interest in him during the January transfer window.
He was an ever-present in the first half of the campaign but suffered an achilles injury in December which sidelined him for three months and then struggled to win back his place due to the consistency of Gaetano Berardi in an unfamiliar role.
Taylor then ensured he would leave on a sour note after 14 years at Leeds by refusing to play in the club’s final match of 2016-17 when Garry Monk was manager, apparently to avoid injury ahead of a summer transfer.