Quilindschy Hartman is ready for the survival challenge facing the Clarets in the Premier League

​The Holland international became boss Scott Parker’s second signing of the summer when he arrived at Turf Moor from Dutch giants Feyenoord for an undisclosed sum at the end of last month.

An Eredivisie title winner two years ago, Hartman has grown accustomed to fighting for honours at the top of the table.

It was at the beginning of the 2022/23 season that current Liverpool boss Arne Slot – then manager of Feyenoord – handed the 23-year-old his debut.

The left-back went on to feature on 29 occasions in all competitions as the Rotterdam-based club became league champions, finishing seven points clear of runners-up PSV Eindhoven.

The following campaign, Hartman made 34 appearances as Feyenoord finished second and although a bad knee injury kept him on the sidelines for the vast majority of last season, his club still came third.

In all likelihood, Hartman – who has played in Europe, including the Champions League – has swapped a title battle in Holland for a relegation dog fight in England.

The Clarets, who won promotion from the Championship last season, are favourites to be relegated by the bookies alongside fellow promoted clubs Leeds United and Sunderland.

Indeed, the past two seasons in the Premier League has seen the clubs who came up from the Championship go straight back down after just one year in the top flight.

Burnley were one of those clubs who failed to survive when they were relegated under Vincent Kompany in 2024 after winning the second tier of English football at a canter the previous year.

The gap between the two divisions appears to have widened but that is not something which fazes Hartman.

"It’s going to be different,” said Hartman. “I am used to playing for championships and also in Europe.

"But I think if you put them next to each other – to play 38 Premier League games or 10 Champions League games, this is better.

"I think because I also experienced playing in Europe, now I want to find a new challenge.

"I think this is the biggest challenge in football possible – to play in the Premier League.”

Clarets can prosper

It may not have gone unnoticed to Hartman that the Clarets did qualify for European football not too long ago.

And although the heady days of finishing seventh in the Premier League, as the Clarets did under Sean Dyche in 2018, may seem a million miles away now, Hartman is convinced the Clarets can survive and prosper next season.

He added: "We have to be ambitious and I know the club has played in Europe which is really nice.

"But I think we have to be realistic. If you look at the last few years, the teams coming up have struggled quite a lot.

"So firstly and foremost, we have to focus on trying to stay in the Premier League and then build on that then see what we can do.”