Burnley FC transfer priority made clear if Scott Parker wins Premier League promotion | OneFootball

FLW's Burnley pundit gives his take on a dream summer window.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Burnley have enjoyed a superb season under the guidance of Scott Parker and will now be looking to get over the line and secure promotion.

Arguably the most consistent side in the division, their defensive nous has made them incredibly difficult to play against, with many of their matches being settled by a single goal.

At times, this has given them the edge over promotion rivals Sheffield United and Leeds United, both of whom are well aware that the Clarets won’t simply fade away.

If they secure promotion to the top flight, they’ll need a stronger squad to compete than the one that went up in 2023–24. Last season, they finished second from bottom with just 24 points, and while there were admirable performances from the likes of Josh Brownhill and Josh Cullen, the squad lacked overall quality.

This summer, the transfer market must be approached more effectively, with experience - rather than a youthful outlook surely high on Alan Pace’s list of priorities.

Burnley summer transfer plan identified

To get a Turf Moor perspective on what a dream summer transfer window would look like, Football League World spoke to their resident Claret, Will Lancaster, who admitted that player retention is just as important as bringing in some new additions.

"The transfer window depends on winning promotion or not," said Lancaster.

"I would say a good start would be keeping hold of James Trafford, Maxime Estève, CJ Egan-Riley, and extending Josh Brownhill's contract.

"In terms of positions, I would probably sign another centre-back who has had vast Premier League experience - someone in the ilk of Jonny Evans, just to have an older head at the back in what is going to be a challenging season. We will be one of the three expected to go straight back down.

"I would bolster the midfield a little bit. I like Josh Laurent, but whether he is cut out for the Premier League I don't really know - he could get overrun. We had Josh Cullen and Sander Berge last year and still massively struggled, and you've seen how good Cullen is this season and how Berge has been for Fulham - they are in the top half. A few additions in there to make the midfield quintet: Hannibal, Cullen, Brownhill, and two more."

A new striker has to be top of priorities for Burnley

Highlighting what he believes to be the most important position to find in the summer, Lancaster added: "A striker is the biggest.

"It is quite well known that Burnley haven't scored anywhere near enough this season - especially in the first half of the campaign. Although that has quickly been resolved with the arrival of Marcus Edwards, I do feel like it will be a different kettle of fish next season.

"The marquee signing for me has to be a number nine. Perhaps a winger as well as a right-back, but if we can sort the centre of midfield out, and then a striker on top of a defender, it is a great spine to have."

As Lancaster alluded to, Burnley supporters are under no illusions about how difficult next season will be if they secure promotion.

Maintaining a solid defence must be the top priority, and if their current backline remains intact, they’ll be well set heading into the 2025–26 campaign. However, the real concern lies in the attacking third - if you can’t find the goals, you simply won’t win games.

This season, they’ve drawn a significant number of matches, and in the top tier, those single points can easily be turned into defeats if they're not careful.

The summer transfer window will be absolutely crucial, and the Clarets may need to take a few calculated risks if they’re to give themselves the best possible chance of staying in the Premier League.