8 free agent strikers that Burnley could consider to replace Zian Flemming

While the summer transfer window has now closed, the hard work behind the scenes doesn’t stop for Nicky Hayen and Burnley’s recruitment team.

The Clarets boss has confirmed the club are now scouring the free agent market for new signings, to add to the three they brought in on deadline day in Igor Julio, Reo Hatate and Largie Ramazani.

The one thing they didn’t get on Tuesday night was a replacement striker for Zian Flemming, who departed right on deadline to join Premier League side Ipswich Town.

So we’ve taken a look at the number nines that are currently without a club and put together a list of realistic targets.

Here’s what we’ve come up with:

Jordan Ayew

At 34, Ayew might not be the first name that immediately springs to mind for Burnley fans, especially when he’s coming off the back of a hugely disappointing relegation campaign with Leicester City. But despite the Foxes’ struggles, the Ghanaian international - who featured at this summer’s World Cup - has plenty of experience in the top two divisions for the likes of Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Swansea City, as well as Leicester.

Andrea Belotti

Another left-field choice, perhaps, but Belotti is a striker who certainly knows where the back of the net is, scoring over 100 goals during his previous seven-year spell with Torino. A former Italy international, with 12 goals in 44 caps, the 32-year-old has been without a club since leaving Cagliari at the end of last season. He only returned from a serious knee injury in April though, so he’s highly unlikely to be match ready.

Danny Ings

Someone that needs no introduction to Burnley fans. At 34, he’s unlikely to rediscover the form that saw him net 43 times for the Clarets during that four-year spell, that ultimately earned him that big move to Liverpool. The striker has struggled for goals during previous seasons with West Ham and Sheffield United respectively, but has only been used sparingly. Could perhaps be an option for squad depth. The three-time England international is currently being linked with a move to SPL side Hibernian.

Dani Gomez

This one is more of an unknown, but Gomez is a striker who’s coming off the back of a season in the Spanish second tier with Real Zaragoza, where he scored nine times. The former Spain Under-21 international, who began his career in the academy of Real Madrid, has also previously played for the likes of Levante, Espanyol and Valencia.

Joselu

The two-time Real Madrid man is currently without a club after leaving Qatari side Al-Gharafa at the end of last season, after scoring at a rate of once every two games. The former Stoke City man bagged a healthy number of goals for Madrid during a 2023/24 loan spell, and has netted six times in 17 appearances for the Spanish national side. At 36, probably not the sort of profile of striker Burnley are looking for, but he’s certainly been there and done it.

Anthony Martial

It’s fair to say Martial has never managed to hit the heights of what was initially expected of him when he came through as a youngster, first at Monaco and then with Manchester United. Now aged 30, the 30-time France international is now without a club after leaving Mexican side Monterrey at the end of last season. Still a player with undoubted quality, but wage demands are likely to be a big problem. Plus he’s likely to have suitors at a higher level than the Championship.

Cedric Teuchert

Like Gomez, this is another unknown. The German forward is currently unattached after leaving MLS side St. Louis City at the end of last season, having scored 10 goals in two years. He enjoyed a far more prolific spell with Hannover prior to that though, scoring 47 goals in 97 appearances in two spells, initially on loan before joining permanently at a later date. A former Germany Under-21 international, he also represented his country at the rescheduled 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.

Jamie Vardy

A far more familiar name, Vardy remains out of contract after leaving Italian side Cremonese at the end of last season, after scoring seven goals in 29 games. While the 39-year-old former Premier League title winner with Leicester City now looks to be concentrating on his post-playing career, setting up his own podcast, he’s still yet to call it a day just yet and that electric pace, or whatever is left of it, has still got to be a big threat in behind Championship defences.