BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent has offered striker Gareth Taylor a three-year contract in his bid to lure the player to Turf Moor on a permanent basis.

And the indications are that the Manchester City front man will put pen to paper when he returns from holiday.

Taylor is out of contract at Maine Road and a free agent at the end of the month so personal terms are the only things to be agreed to bring the former Crystal Palace and Sheffield United to Burnley as Ternent's first summer signing.

And with a three-year package and the prospect of regular first-team football on the table it looks certain that 28-year-old will look to build on the successful 15-match loan spell he enjoyed with the Clarets at the back end of last season.

Ternent said: "I've spoken to his agent and I've agreed in principle a three-year deal so he's going to get in touch with Gareth and if he accepts that then the contract's there and hopefully he'll join us."

Meanwhile, Ternent has declared himself fighting fit after his illness scare earlier this summer.

Ternent was taken into his hospital last month complaining of stomach pains, shortly after guiding Burnley to a seventh place in Division One.

The problem was diagnosed as an ulcer and Ternent has been told that a course of tablets should cure the problem.

The boss was in good spirits at Turf Moor for the launch of Burnley's new-look strip in mid-week and after combining time with his family with his summer transfer business he will leading the Clarets back into pre-season training on July 10.

He said: "I feel fine. I've got to go back (to the hospital) some time in August. They'll put the camera down again and he says it will be gone. Apparently these tablets clear it up."

The Clarets boss reiterated that Taylor is one of "three or four" new players he wants to add to his squad and confirmed that he is in negotiations with clubs concerning potential targets.

However, he admits he will face competition in the transfer market.

He added: "What you find is that the players of quality that you do fancy, other clubs fancy them as well.

"They want to talk to them all and find out where they're up to so that always goes on until July time. More often than not the signings are made in July."

Ternent, who has been linked with the likes of Martin Rowlands, Tony Grant, Eddie Howe, Andy Parkinson, Nicky Daws and Stuart McCall, knows he needs to add depth to his squad to mount a successful promotion challenge after just missing out on the play-offs last time out.

He said: "It's always tougher the second time round. It's a tough league this time. There are five teams with four-million pound starts (from Premiership parachute payments), the three that came down and the two from the year before.

"There are chairmen who are making money available at Portsmouth and at Palace, supposedly, and now that Dave Jones has had a good look at things at Wolves they are going to be a force.

"We've also got the two Sheffield clubs, I'm not just too sure where Forest are up to, and Birmingham and West Brom.

"If you have a look round it's a great league and it's great for our supporters and also for my players. It's a big challenge because to do better than we did last year we have to get into a play-off situation. But somebody has to do it, it might as well be us."

Meanwhile, Ternent has declared himself fighting fit after his illness scare earlier this summer.

Ternent was taken into his hospital last month complaining of stomach pains, shortly after guiding Burnley to a seventh place finish in Division One.

The problem was diagnosed as an ulcer and Ternent has been told that a course of tablets should cure the problem.

The boss was in good spirits at Turf Moor for the launch of Burnley's new-look strip and after combining time with his family with his summer transfer business he will leading the Clarets back into pre-season training on July 10.

He said: "I feel fine. I've got to go back (to the hospital) some time in August. They'll put the camera down again and he says it will be gone. Apparently these tablets clear it up."

Burnley's former assistant manager Glenn Roeder was today confirmed as West Ham's new boss.