Yesterday morning, boss Owen Coyle revealed that, along with Dutch midfielder Remco van der Schaaf, who signed a three-year deal, he was also speaking to a second player, for whom a "big fee" would be involved.

Coyle wanted to keep the identity of the player secret, saying: "The other one is a bit more complicated, in that there is another club interested in him, but he has real quality.

"We had a terrific meeting with him and his representative, obviously with permission from his club, because there would be a big fee involved in that.

"So we'll wait and see on that one, but we are certainly trying to bring the right players to the football club, and if we are able to sign both, it would be fantastic news for the football club."

I understand the 6ft, 22-year-old Eagles is the player in question, with the fee believed to add up to just over £1.5m in total - beating the deal for Martin Paterson.

Eagles, born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, is primarily an attacking right-sided winger, who came through the youth system at Watford, before leaving at 14 to join the Manchester United academy.

Eagles made his first team debut for United in October 2003 as a substitute at Leeds in the League Cup, and was sent on loan to Watford in January 2005, before another loan at Sheffield Wednesday for the first half of the 2005-06 season, where he netted at Turf Moor in the December.

He returned to Vicarage Road on loan in January 2006, before agreeing to a spell with Dutch side NEC Nijmegen in August 2006.

Back at United, he has struggled to break into the first team squad, and it appears he could be set for Turf Moor - if the Clarets can beat the unnamed club to his signature.