Ex-Clarets ace Little hoping for a settled summer at Turf Moor

Former Burnley ace Glen Little is hoping there is not another mass exodus of players at Turf Moor this summer.

The Clarets are preparing for another season in the Championship after suffering relegation from the Premier League.

It’s a road which the club has very much been down before in the recent past after dropping out of the top flight for the third time in the past five campaigns.

Indeed, the past four years have virtually been a mirror image with Championship success preceding Premier League failure.

In the summer of 2022, Vincent Kompany took over the club following relegation and oversaw a huge squad turnover.

Ultimately, it paid dividends as the Clarets stormed to the Championship title, accumulating a whopping 102 points.

Despite being labelled one of the finest teams ever to grace the second tier, Kompany’s men struggled in the top flight and finished second bottom with a meagre haul of 24 points.

The former Manchester City captain’s defection to Bayern Munich paved the way for yet more change with Scott Park taking control of the club in 2024.

Once again several players left - and arrived - before the closure of the summer transfer window.

However, like two years earlier, it did not have a negative effect as the Clarets ultimately cantered to victory in runners-up spot with 100 points - the same number as champions Leeds United.

Unfortunately, once again, the Premier League proved to be a different proposition as Parker lost his job, unable to consolidate the club as the Clarets finished second bottom with just 22 points.

Little is hopeful his former club can hang onto players such as Zian Flemming, Maxime Esteve, Jaidon Anthony and Hannibal Mejbri although whether they stay remains to be seen, especially as the club is yet to appoint a new manager.

“Well I hope not,” said Little when asked if he expects there to a big squad turnover.

“But we all know what happened last time, the first two games. I think we all know, even though we got 100 points, we would have probably had 120 if we kept the old squad.

“But it was just sort of strange how we got through the summer, played two games, and then right before the Sunderland game, you’re looking at the team and you’re thinking, ‘Where’s CJ Egan-Riley come from?’

And fair play to him, he had a great season didn’t he?

“But there was just so much change, whereas you’d rather have that settled side. Even though we did get to 100 points, those first three or four months, there were some slow performances in there where you weren’t particularly convinced.

“But all credit to Scott Parker, because it was a great season in the end, wasn’t it? But whether we can expect that again, I don’t know.

“But then, some of the better players who we’ve got, I’m not sure if they’ve done enough [to get a move].”

Little expects there to be interest in defender Esteve and forward Flemming, but wonders what transfer fees they could command.

“Obviously there’s Esteve, but even then, after the last Championship season you were probably looking at £40m or £50m for him. Would you get that now? I’m not so sure.

“Zian Flemming, all credit to him for finishing as top goalscorer and he scored more goals than a lot of big money signings and highly rated players, so who knows? But could he get you £40m? I don’t know that.

“He’s done great though, pretty much coming from nowhere to prove everyone wrong. It wasn’t long ago he was in the Championship and we were talking about him not being a proper centre forward and how he was more of a No.10.

“Well that’s out of the window now.”