Burnley striker could leave Turf Moor as club eye move | OneFootball

Burnley's Joe Westley has appeared on the radar of Ayr United in Scotland ahead of a potential January transfer.

Burnley forward Joe Westley is wanted by Scottish Championship side Ayr United.

That is the latest from journalist, Alan Nixon, via his Patreon account, who claimed that the forward would be happy to try his luck in the Scottish second tier.

Ayr United are currently managed by Celtic and Scotland legend, Scott Brown, and it is thought that the 39-year-old is very keen to sign Westley from Burnley on a loan deal this winter after he has spent time on loan in England's fifth tier.

According to Nixon, the move could turn out to be a little complicated considering the number of loan players Burnley are allowed to have outside of England.

A move to Ayr United is a step in the right direction for Joe Westley

Joe Westley joined Burnley as a youngster in August 2021 and went on to score a few goals for their U18s before earning his first loan move away from Turf Moor.

Local National League side, AFC Fylde, was the destination where he earned his first taste of men's football, and he managed to contribute to five goals in 13 league appearances, which is a decent record for a 19-year-old who had never played at the level before.

In September, Westley spent a month on loan at Rochdale in the same division, but this time around he only managed to make three league appearances before returning to Turf Moor.

Now, it seems as though the striker could be set for a new challenge as Scottish side Ayr United have taken an interest in the player. Although the Scottish second division is not too much of a step-up, it will provide a new test for the Burnley man, under an ambitious manager in Scott Brown, who has previously managed Fleetwood Town in League One.

Brown's side currently sit second in the Scottish Championship, so if the deal does go through, Westley will be able to showcase his talents in a team eyeing up promotion for the first time in his career.

Burnley's current loan situation

As Nixon alluded to in his report, the deal may not be plain sailing given the amount of players that Burnley currently have out on loan outside of England.

The Clarets currently have five players on loan deals outside of the UK, all of which expire in the summer if nothing changes.

Among the most notable is Zeki Amdouni who is currently playing for Benfica in Portugal and is clearly enjoying his time there. The Burnley man has scored five goals in 13 league games, and has also featured in six Champions League games, where he has scored one and assisted one.