While there’s grave uncertainty on the pitch at Burnley – namely what division they’ll be playing in next season – there’s also question marks about which of their soon-to-be out of contract stars could yet decide to stay.
Burnley are doing their best on the pitch to try and persuade them players to stay as they find themselves in the thick of the automatic promotion race, although it remains to be seen whether the lure of potential Premier League football is enough to make some of their players sign back on.
The most concerning aspect for the Clarets is that at least two of the players set to depart in the summer are regular first team players, and after three successive summers of upheaval, Burnley will be keen to avoid another transition window.
Losing key players will undoubtedly force them down that road, but they still have time to try and persuade these five stars that their future lies at Turf Moor.
Josh Brownhill
Probably the most high-profile of Burnley’s out of contract stars, much of the focus around staying or leaving currently falls on club captain Josh Brownhill.
Amid reported interest from Premier League clubs and Turkish side Trabzonspor, it seems highly unlikely that Brownhill will sign a new deal, particularly when only a club option to extend his contract sees him remain for this season.
Losing their club captain for free would be a crushing blow to the Clarets, particularly given he’s been a first-team regular this season, but unless an unlikely solution can be found the coming months, that’s a reality they have to face up to.
Connor Roberts
Another of Burnley’s regular starters who’s set to walk through the exit door in the summer is Connor Roberts.
The Welshman signed from Swansea City back in 2021 and has largely been the club’s first choice right back when he’s been available, but his time at Turf Moor looks to be coming to an end.
The Clarets have already begun their search for a successor, with Oliver Sonne believed to be the man who will replace Roberts when he leaves.
John Egan only signed for Burnley in September after he was a free agent after leaving Sheffield United, but unless something drastic changes between now and May, he’ll be a free agent once again.
The Republic of Ireland international signed a deal that runs until the end of the season, but extending his deal beyond then seems unlikely.
