The Clarets will believe they are in a strong position to challenge for the top slots even if they lost players like Vitinho, Wilson Odobert, Sander Berge, and Dara O’Shea.
They were able to bring in Scott Parker, a former Championship boss, to replace Vincent Kompany. That provided Burnley a solid foundation to work from, and they took advantage of it in the first few weeks along with the rest of the team that was brought down with the Belgian manager.
They appeared to be back on course after a minor setback, largely because of some excellent performances from their strongest players.
Due to their league standing and team talent, teams like Burnley will be the focus of a lot of attention in the upcoming windows. There are a few players on their team that they can demand high salaries for if other teams approach them, regardless of whether they succeed in their goal of going back up at the first time of asking, like they did with Kompany.
James Trafford
Former Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford was involved in a lot of the transfer talk surrounding Turf Moor this summer. Newcastle United were the ones most heavily reported to be looking at Trafford, who was picked in Gareth Southgate’s preliminary England men’s squad for Euro 2024 this summer.
Ultimately, despite a lot of negotiations, the two clubs couldn’t find an agreement on his value and he will remain a part of Parker’s team for the foreseeable future.
That doesn’t mean that other teams won’t test Burnley’s resolve when it comes to Trafford though. Despite a number of relatively poor displays in the previous campaign, the promising signs he showed on loan at Bolton Wanderers and for England’s under-21s suggest that he is a real talent.
| James Trafford’s U21 Euros 2023 stats | |
|---|---|
| Apps | 6 |
| Clean sheets | 6 |
| Saves per game | 2.5 (100%) |
| Penalties saves | 1/1 |
| Stats taken from Sofascore | |
Burnley were reported to be asking for £20 million for him this summer. Given the length of his contract (it ends in the summer of 2027), it’s unlikely that his price will get much cheaper. That combined with the pre-existing top-flight interest makes him very likely to earn the Clarets some good money in the near future.
Luca Koleosho
If Luca Koleosho hadn’t suffered a serious knee injury the previous season, several teams would have been vying for his services this summer.
When he has the ball, the 20-year-old Italian winger is unstoppable. His ability to run and glide with the ball, followed by a powerful finish, is a lethal combination that opposing defenders must detest.
Premier League teams are reportedly keeping an eye on him, including Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, due to his enormous potential.
It remains to be seen if Koleosho will advance in his career with Burnley, but he is prepared to do so. If Turf Moor is not his future home, it will cost a lot of money for whoever decides to take him off their hands.
Similar to Trafford, he was signed to a long-term contract by the Clarets upon acquisition last summer. Given that he has more than 4.5 years remaining on his contract, any prospective suitors will have to pay a high price to acquire this gifted winger.
Read more at: https://sportupdates.co.uk
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