'Not as busy' - Burnley chief makes honest transfer window admission amid Leeds United £100m budget reports

Burnley owner Alan Pace is hoping to add ‘bits and pieces’ to Scott Parker’s squad in preference of a major overhaul as the Clarets and Leeds United plan for Premier League survival.

Bridging the gap between Championship and Premier League will prove the most difficult task Leeds owners 49ers Enterprises have had to face since taking complete control of the club two years ago. Chairman Paraag Marathe has already described this summer as the most important in decades and that message will be backed by a significant transfer budget, with recent reports suggesting Daniel Farke could have more than £100million to spend.

Burnley aren’t expected to have that kind of financial backing and manager Parker has already confirmed his desire to keep the current promotion-winning core, having overseen a huge overhaul following relegation last year. In total, 21 players left Turf Moor last summer with 17 new arrivals, but owner Pace is hoping for a calmer few months and a more measured approach to transfer business.

"This summer is big,” he told the Burnley Express. “Planning is super, super important. It's going to be a lot of work. There’s no doubt about what we've seen over the last two years with six teams going up and six teams coming back down, so we've got our work cut out for us and this summer is going to be a big part of that. But we think we can do it.

“I think, first and foremost, that we actually come about this with the intent of keeping a core of this team solid for a long time to come. So I think we've built well and let's see how Scott managed to take them forward and add bits and pieces and turn it into the next version.

“I do not anticipate it will be as busy as last summer, especially, but I certainly hope that we're not as busy as we were a summer ago. But again, some of that's also driven by players and agents and other things that we don't get to control other teams, their desires. But I don't anticipate that we're going to be nearly as busy as what I think we have been in the past.”

Burnley’s summer transfer plans as Leeds United survival fight likely

Burnley do already have some transfer expenditure booked in, with permanent deals for a quartet of loanees triggered following their promotion. Marcus Edwards, Bashir Humphreys, Zian Flemming and former Leeds loanee Jaidon Anthony will all receive permanent contracts at Turf Moor, with fees set aside for each of their parent clubs.

But Pace’s mention of current squad member’s ‘desires’ is interesting, given growing uncertainty over arguably three of their most important players during the Championship promotion race. Centre-back CJ Egan-Riley is out of contract this summer while goalkeeper James Trafford agreed personal terms with Newcastle United last year, and St James’ Park chiefs remain keen on signing him.

Egan-Riley’s defensive teammate Maxime Esteve also fuelled speculation over his own future amid reports of top-flight interest. The defender admitted in the wake of Burnley’s promotion he harboured ambitions of playing for a top-six team.

“When I was young, I dreamed of playing in the Premier League,” he said. “I watched basically just that on the TV. My dream is to play for a top six team in England. I wouldn’t say there is any club in particular but my dream is to go there.”

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