ARSENAL defender Daniel Ballard is closing in on a £2million move to Burnley.
New boss Vincent Kompany is desperate for defensive reinforcements with skipper Ben Mee and James Tarkowski expected to leave on frees following their relegation from the Premier League.
But after having their bid accepted by The Gunners, Ballard is now set to discuss personal terms with The Clarets before having a medical.
Kompany’s legacy at Manchester City is said to have had a huge role in persuading the 22-year-old to join him at Turf Moor.
Ballard has not made a competitive first-team appearance for Mikel Arteta’s side.
But the club have inserted a clause to allow them to match any future bids.
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After a stint at Blackpool, the centre-back joined Millwall on loan and made 33 appearances in all competitions for the Lions.
Gary Rowett’s side did not have a first obligation to buy the centre-back but were keen to bring him back to the club.
He has been capped 15 times by Northern Ireland and netted against Kosovo in the Nations League earlier this month.
Ballard will join another youngster departing the Emirates in recent days.
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Tyreece John-Jules has joined Ipswich Town on a season-long loan.
And former Manchester United coach Kieran McKenna, now the boss at Portman Road, is delighted to have landed the youngster.
He said: “There’s a lot to admire in Tyreece’s game.
“He’s someone I’ve known and followed throughout his youth career at Arsenal and in the England setup.
“He’s a really talented and versatile forward who can play in a number of different positions.
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“He has a really high technical level and can play off of both feet.
“If he can get a consistent run of form, then he is an extremely talented player with very high potential. We’re very excited to have him on board.”
