Burnley FC struck gold with January Man United deal | OneFootball

Burnley were the clear winners of a deal they agreed with Manchester United in January 2015.

Burnley have completed a number of impressive pieces of transfer business over the years.

The Clarets have often sold players for significant transfer fees, having signed them for far lower amounts, with Chris Wood, Nick Pope and Nathan Collins just three names on a long list of players that the club has turned a profit on.

Other examples of Burnley's shrewd business in the transfer market include Wilson Odobert, Andre Gray and Dara O'Shea, with the club having made a considerable number of signings that have benefitted them off the pitch as well as on it.

One player who Burnley made a significant profit on is a defender they signed from Premier League side Manchester United during the January transfer window in 2015, while he also had a positive impact on Sean Dyche's team on the pitch.

Burnley signed Michael Keane in 2015

Burnley completed the signing of Manchester United defender Michael Keane for a fee of around £2 million in January 2015, with the Clarets playing Championship football.

The centre-back, who was just 21-years-old at the time of his permanent arrival in Lancashire, had previously played for Blackburn Rovers during a loan spell away from Old Trafford, but he soon proved that his loyalties lay at Turf Moor.

Keane made 44 appearances in the Championship as Burnley won the title during the 2015/16 season, scoring an impressive five goals and helping his side keep the joint-second best defensive record in the division.

He then went on to make 35 Premier League appearances for the Clarets as they finished 16th during their first season back in the top flight, with his performances attracting interest from a number of clubs including Manchester City, Liverpool and Leicester City.

Keane played his role in establishing Burnley as a team capable of competing in the Premier League under Sean Dyche, but not only with his performances in defence.

Everton signed Keane in 2017

Following interest from a few Premier League clubs, Keane signed for Everton in a deal worth £25 million, with a further £6 million in potential add-ons, in the summer of 2017.

The Clarets then signed striker Chris Wood from Leeds United for a club-record fee of around £15 million that summer, and his goals were key to their survival in the top flight over the next few seasons, so it could be argued that Keane's impact went beyond the work he did on the pitch during his time at the club.

Burnley were the clear winners of the £2 million deal they struck with Manchester United to sign Keane in January 2015, especially considering United tried to re-sign the defender before his move to Goodison Park a couple of years later.

Keane had the opportunity to return to Old Trafford in the summer of 2017, but decided to turn down the chance in favour of more first-team opportunities at Everton, as per The Times.

"They wanted me, but a few things happened and I thought Everton would be the best place for me to come," said Keane.

"To be honest, having been at Burnley for three years, I wasn't a fan of the club like I used to be. I wasn't as big a fan of Man United as I had been."

Keane clearly felt an affiliation with Burnley, helped the club reach the Premier League, and commanded a significant transfer fee when he departed, so it would be fair to say that the club struck gold when they signed him for just £2 million.