MANCHESTER City front man Gareth Taylor could emerge as a summer target for the Clarets.

The 27-year-old would be allowed to leave Maine Road, where he is down the pecking order in the striking stakes, for a likely fee of around £300,000.

And Burnley's name has cropped up in talks over the player's future.

The former Sheffield United man had loan spells at Port Vale and QPR last season and is a proven goalscorer at First Division level.

Despite limited opportunities at Maine Road last season Taylor scored six goals in nine starts for City.

And with Clarets boss Stan Ternent likely to supplement his strikeforce, particularly if Ian Wright does call it a day, Taylor, who started his career with Bristol Rovers before moving to Crystal Palace, may fit the bill.

However, reports that Andy Morrison may be on the Burnley shopping list would appear to be wide of the mark as Joe Royle has no plans to let the big defender leave Maine Road.

Burnley and Sheffield United were said to be monitoring Morrison's situation but after a lengthy absence out through injury, Royle expects the former Blackburn Rovers and Huddersfield powerhouse to be fit for the start of the season.

Meanwhile, Mark Robertson is in demand in Australia after playing a starring role in Wollongong Wolves' remarkable Grand Final triumph. The Clarets' midfielder, currently mulling over a new contract offer at Turf Moor, came off the bench at half-time to inspire a thrilling comeback from 3-0 down against Perth Glory.

The Wolves, where Robertson has spent the last couple of months on loan, got back to 3-3 and after no goals in extra-time won the trophy in a penalty shoot-out in front of 43,000 fans at Perth's Subiaco Oval.

Robertson, who received rave reviews in the Australian Press for turning the tie on its head, scored the second penalty on the way to a 7-6 shoot-out success which earned the Wollongong club their first ever national title.

The Wolves, who will now represent Australia in next season's World Club Championship, would like Robertson to stay on a permanent basis.

And a number of other Australian clubs are thought to be interested in the under-23 international, whose prospects of a call-up to the Olyroos Olympic squad were also enhanced by his performance in front of watching national coach Raul Blanco.

However, Robertson is still keen to crack it over in Europe and may yet return to Turf Moor to continue his career after he has held talks with Burnley boss Ternent.