Burnley boss Eddie Howe is confident Chris McCann will pen a new deal, as he continues to chase Jack Cork.
Clarets boss also confident he can bring Cork back to Turf Moor
Burnley boss Eddie Howe is confident Chris McCann will pen a new deal, as he continues with his efforts to bring Jack Cork back to the club.
Negotiations with both players remain ongoing, as the Clarets attempt to piece together a squad they hope will be good enough to mount a promotion push in 2011/12.
McCann is considered to be key to those plans, with his presence in the middle of the park bringing continuity and creativity.
The 23-year-old Irishman has spent his entire career to date at Turf Moor, but is currently out of contract and drawing admiring glances from the Premier League.
Howe told the club's
official website: "We have been in negotiations with Chris and his agent for a period of time and these things can be drawn-out affairs.
"We are desperate for him to stay because he is an important part of our plans going forward and I am very confident.
"We're hopeful that he sees his future here. He knows how the club value him; not just us, but the supporters as well.
"We have seen him through a really tough period in his career due to injury and I am sure everybody would like nothing more than to see Chris in a Burnley shirt again next season."
Judgements
Howe is also hoping that Chelsea can be persuaded to part with England U21 international Cork on a permanent basis.
He added: "Jack remains a Chelsea player at the moment.
"We have had discussions with the club and his agent, but they have just appointed a new manager [Andre Villas-Boas] and that can sometimes cloud judgements and decisions.
"Whatever time the deal takes, it takes, and we are hopeful it will happen, but if not we do have to move on to other players because, as much as we want Jack here, we have to build a team that we want to be competitive."
