Assuming we stay up..

[UpTheClaretsFCBK]

Which of course is looking increasingly likely despite a tough month or so..

Which positions would you see strengthened in summer and who do you expect to move on?

Leaving -
Michael Kightly
George Boyd (think he deserves a deal but not been offered yet).
Michael Keane
Andre Gray
Paul Robinson


Potential Targets -
Charlie Taylor LB - Leeds
Shane Long ST - Southampton
Aaron Mooy CM - Huddersfield (On loan from Man City)
Jason Denayer CB - Sunderland (On loan from Man City)
Andrew Robertson RB - Hull City
Alejandro Gomez ST - Atalanta (Bit of a dream signing).
Ryan Fraser RM - Bournemouth (Again, as above)

Be interested to see the type of player other Clarets think we should be going for and who you all believe are 'in our league'.

[Colburn_Claret]

I would be sad to lose all those you quoted. Some of them obviously, but not all.
There is a reluctance for premiership clubs to shop in the championship. A, they are very highly priced for little or no experience of the prem. B, there are cheaper options abroad many with more experience.

We don't have the network to go around Europe or elsewhere so we need to identify those from the championship or lower, that we think can make the grade.
There is also the chance to cherry pick players from those who go down.
I don't think we need a lot of players. Burnley operate better with a smaller squad. Less likely to get dissatisfaction and egos creating cliques.

I'm happy to leave it to the gaffer and the board.

[CombatClaret]

If think we'll keep hold of Gray, he's very much on our level right now If you look around at other strikers with similar goal tallies and they team they are at eg: Deeney, Benteke, Calumn Wilson, Rondon etc.
I'd be very happy to see an upgrade to along side him though. That would likely see one of Barnes or Vokes having to move on.

I'd be surprised to Defour & Marney start for us next season which leaves us with 7, assuming Ash is Marney's long term replacement we'll need to find some creativity to replace Defour.

The backline I hope is quite straight forward, Keane leaves for big money and then the much assumed Tarks slot in. Buy another squad player to replace Tarks.

[Diesel]

I know, I know ex player obsession and all that but if Danny Ings can/could get anywhere near fit again I'd love to see him return, we are a different club than the one he left and I honestly can't see him playing for Liverpool again, if not him then Juan Mata from United.

[ClaretAndJew]

Juan Mata eh?

He's on 120k a week.

[Diesel]

That doesn't Mata

[ClaretAndJew]

Juana bet?

[Bin Ont Turf]

Calor Gas at Chelsea seems to be on the bench a lot. Maybe we could tempt him?

[Dark Cloud]

We could maybe buy (not loan as they'll probably tell us to bog off) the guy from Chelsea who's on loan at Brizzle.

Anyway, I'm not getting drawn in. This is all dangerous talk and we're FAR from certain to be in the PL next season as yet! What is pretty certain is that Keane will move on whatever and fair do's to him, he deserves that big club, big money move. Oh, and Heaton is missing from the OP's list as I'm sure some bigger clubs than us will test our mettle (and his) during the summer.

[jurek]

It seems fairly certain we'll lose Keane and possibly one or two more
(Gray, Darwika, Arfield and possibly Defour) and one or two more who may not have their contracts renewed
- Boyd the most obvious and maybe Barton and Marney also.
So it could be that we're at least 4 or 5 or even more players short of what we have now.

I think we'll need at least one full back. Charlie Taylor from Leeds as a possible.
Robertson from Hull also on the list.
Certainly another centre half. Maguire from Hull may also be on the list.
If Defour, Barton and Marney go then at least another two more midfielders albeit haven't got much of an idea who.
And if Gray and Boyd go then would suggest another two forwards.
And one or two wingers as even if Arfield stays then don't see him as a regular starter.

Would love to see Ings come back alongside another new forward.
Barnes and Vokes could still make contributions but, again for me, not as regular starters.
Agyei might be able to step up but it's a big ask and we won't know for a while although
he might be given the chance if we manage to ensure we stay up before the last few games.

We do need two wingers as that's where we've been the least effective this season - especially in going forward.
Brady could and hopefully will fulfill one of those roles but we'll need a least one more.

So, whichever way we look at it a potential major rebuilding job it may turn out to be.
With 5 or 6 coming in.
The good new is that if Keane, Gray and Defour go then we'll have around 40m or more to play with
before we dip into next year's money which, no doubt, we may have to do.
Given 40m doesn't get you that much nowadays.

And hopefully we can manage to get most newcomers in fairly early and before pre-season.

It'll be interesting to see who we do get in and whether Dyche decides he needs to be more flexible
in our formation and how we set up. He has to do something to improve our away form as it will
be nigh on impossible to maintain our home form/wins next season.

Assuming we stay up.. that is.

[Spijed]

Anyway, I'm not getting drawn in. This is all dangerous talk and we're FAR from certain to be in the PL next season as yet!

So you won't be joining in the Mexican wave during the Spurs game?

[jurek]

Forgot to add that I wouldn't mind Rodriguez back too. Him and Ings up front would do me.

[KefkaClaret]

I expect Gray and Keane will leave seeing as they both only have one year left on their contract.

[Sidney1st]

Ah good Jay Rod gets a mention.

It would be the typical 'who do we sign' thread if he didn't get a mention.

[boatshed bill]

I'm not ready to make that assumption.

[KefkaClaret]

Jay Rod is from Burnley after all, did you also know that Oliver Norwood is from Burnley? We should sign him! Let's get Matty James as well, Burnley fan and all.

[Dark Cloud]

So you won't be joining in the Mexican wave during the Spurs game?

I don't believe I've ever joined a Mexican wave in my life!! And it's fairly safe to assume I never will. HOWEVER, if/when we actually have enough points to be certain of staying up I might be so bloody drunk I'll start one!! (but that won't be at the Spurs game, whatever the score so you're safe!!

[RVclaret]

Jay Rod is the exact type of striker we need. Ability to drop in the hole behind Gray, drift wide, decent in the air and can bag a few. Don't get why some posters get all funny when someone mentions him, puzzles me.

[South West Claret.]

Never assume anything.

[Sidney1st]

Its not about being funny when he's mentioned, I feel both sides have moved on, as do many people.
Same with Ings, who's now severely injury prone.

[what_no_pies]

The Op mustn't have witnessed Danayer's performance at Sunderland. He was beyond terrible - only our inability to create anything of real note from his constant handing us possession saved it from being a cricket score. On that showing I've no idea how he ever became a professional footballer.

[UpTheClaretsFCBK]

The Op mustn't have witnessed Danayer's performance at Sunderland. He was beyond terrible - only our inability to create anything of real note from his constant handing us possession saved it from being a cricket score. On that showing I've no idea how he ever became a professional footballer.

Harsh, he's 21 and playing his first ever top flight season in a struggling team. He's had decent spells with Celtic and Galatasary. One could argue he's done more than Ben Mee and Keiran Trippier had at that age.

Think he's got serious potential personally.

[what_no_pies]

I've associated my comments to that performance twice in my post. He was dreadful against us so it's not harsh at all.

[bfc1984]

Someone beat me to it the denayer lad from Sunderland is shocking,the lad Fraser signed a bumper new deal with Bournemouth weeks since.like the look of this Williams for reading got to be looking at top end championship players really.None of this foreign crap please look at Newcastle and Sunderland shocking