Burnley head coach Scott Parker has bemoaned the length of the summer transfer period after losing several players late in the window, ahead of next weekend's clash with Leeds United.

The Clarets boss watched as several members of his squad, including many of those selected in the line-up on matchday one this season, departed Turf Moor during the final throes of this summer's window.

Of the group that secured a 4-1 win over Luton Town in their first game of the 2024/25 campaign, Luke McNally, Dara O’Shea, Vitinho, Scott Twine, Wilson Odobert, Anass Zaroury and Wout Weghorst are all no longer with the club.

“I don’t really understand the dynamics of the transfer window and how you leave it open three or four games into a season,” Parker said, as quoted by the Burnley Express.

“Pre-season takes place and you have six to eight weeks with a group of players and again, I’m not just referencing myself, I’m referencing every manager out there, you put in work, you do a lot of detailed work in terms of the team you want to be and within two or three weeks that can drastically change and that’s probably what’s happened here a little bit."

Burnley's matchday squad for their most recent outing - a 1-0 defeat by table-topping Sunderland - included youngsters named on the substitutes bench, as well as two goalkeepers, with Parker's options limited. The club made 15 new signings this summer, but saw 21 players depart in what has been a significant period of upheaval for the Championship promotion hopefuls.

In addition to Parker's less than 'ideal' preparedness for the visit to Elland Road, six members of his first-team squad are on international duty this week and next. However, this is unlikely to be a significant advantage to Leeds, if at all, given they themselves have 12 first-teamers away with their countries.

“You’re working with players and working on things and then those players leave the club, so I don’t think it’s ideal. I don’t understand it either," the ex-Fulham and Bournemouth manager added.

Leeds host Burnley at 12:30pm on Saturday, September 14 as club football resumes following the September international break.