Burns opts to stay in Europe

Though the Sky Blues have tabled an offer to AEK Athens forward Burns, 23, his manager, Paris-based Bernie Mandic confirmed on Tuesday night that the seven-times capped Socceroo wants to remain in Europe with three unnamed clubs in pursuit as he ponders a switch away from cash-strapped AEK Athens where his first team opportunities curtailed by the arrival of veteran striker Eidur Gudjohnsen.

“There have been talks with Sydney but the option Nathan wants to pursue is staying in Europe,” Mandic told The World Game.

“There are three clubs in the picture and possibly something may be done before the transfer window closes at the end of August. If not, no problem. We are pretty relaxed about it.”

With sources close to Emerton insisting that a deal with Sydney is not on his immediate agenda as he enters the final year of his contract with Blackburn Rovers, a more likely signing could be the clubless Carney, who starred for the Sky Blues in their first two A-League seasons as a winger, before switching to Sheffield United, FC Twente and then Blackpool, before being released at the end of last season by the relegated Tangerines.

The Socceroos defender has been looking for a club since and a move to Championship Nottingham Forest collapsed last week.

His English agent insisted on Tuesday via text from the UK that Carney, 27, was not returning to Sydney but there appears some ambiguity over who is currently representing Carney with another agent revealing he had been approached by the one-time Everton apprentice with a view to finding him a new club.

Now fully recovered from shoulder surgery his preferred option is to remain in Europe but it appears he has not been inundated with offers in England or elsewhere and may have consider other possibilities.

Meanwhile, former Adelaide marksman Burns, who was the subject of an offer from Rangers after starring against them for AEK in the Sydney Festival of Football a year ago – could end up being loaned out again, as he was to Kerkyra in 2009, helping the Greek club win promotion to the top flight.

“Nathan has been happy in Greece ... but problem is he wants to be playing more games at this stage of his career, so we will see what happens,” added Mandic.