Arsenal defender Daniel Ballard will not be moving to Burnley this summer despite a deal being agreed between the two clubs, with the Irishman having failed to agree terms with the Lancashire side.
The centre-back was expected to become the first signing for new boss Vincent Kompany since he took over at Turf Moor, yet despite traveling to Lancashire for a medical last week, he could not agree personal terms in order to seal the move.
While former Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany himself was thought to be a key asset in getting the deal to the final stages. Meanwhile, the departure of veteran duo Ben Mee and James Tarkowski had left a clear path to first team football.
It appears as though it ultimately was not enough, however.
Daniel Ballard’s proposed move to Burnley has fallen through.
Clubs agreed fee structure this week & player travelled for medical, but terms could not ultimately be agreed.
Ballard & #AFC still fielding lots of interest from elsewhere.@TheAthleticUKhttps://t.co/zbAKrzR6Xb
— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) June 26, 2022
What next for Ballard?
It is almost certain that the young centre-back will still leave north London this summer, following successful loan spells with Blackpool and more recently with Millwall in the championship.
Any deal, however, would likely require both a future sell-on percentage clause and a first-refusal option, with both having been underwritten into the agreement for him to head to Turf Moor.
This would mean that the Gunners would have the option to match any bids made for their defensive talent, while they could alternatively stand to profit should he head elsewhere later in his career.
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