It was universally accepted that attacking reinforcements were the primary aim of this window, but so far, Ashley Barnes, who’s barely played since joining, is the only attacker they’ve signed.
Missing out on Morgan Whittaker certainly hasn’t helped their quest to add some quality in the final third, but there’s a whole world of players out there, and Scott Parker and Alan Pace ought to have been smart enough to have other targets lined up.
A lack of goals has exacerbated Burnley’s need for reinforcements up top, with a striker and winger probably non-negotiable in these closing days of the window, but it’s all quiet on the western front so far.
Here, we look at three possible players the Clarets could look at in the coming days…
Scott Parker likes players with previous promotion experience, and George Hirst is one of them, attaining promotion out of this division with Ipswich last season, but since promotion he’s endured a tumultuous time, making most of his appearances off the bench.
Injuries haven’t helped his campaign, nor has the big-money arrival of Liam Delap, who is firmly Ipswich’s first-choice striker and won’t be displaced but for an injury.
With Sammie Szmodics, who has also largely played in forward areas for Town, back from injury any time now, Hirst could be pushed even further down the pecking order.
That’s when Burnley could look to make a late swoop to offer him regular first team football up front for the rest of the season if they can take him on loan, while they could also offer Ipswich the guarantee of a sale if they’re promoted.
It seems likely that Emmanuel Dennis will depart Nottingham Forest on loan in the closing stages of the window, and both Watford and Sheffield Wednesday have previously been credited with an interest in the forward.
With the ability to play anywhere along the front line, Dennis could be a useful asset to Burnley, and the hefty salary which has put some other suitors off wouldn’t be quite as big of an issue to Burnley, who are in receipt of parachute payments.
Dennis may not be a long-term solution for the Clarets, but he could definitely have some short-term use, and ultimately it’s about getting over the line somewhat May.
He’s a proven scorer in English football, and the magic moments he could provide are something Burnley have sorely missed this season.
Charlie Taylor is a name that Burnley fans will be incredibly familiar with as he plied his trade at Turf Moor for seven years, but departed for Southampton in the summer after his contract expired.It seems that Taylor is available on loan this month and Hull City had agreed a deal with the Saints, but the move has since stalled, with Watford now also credited with an interest in Taylor.
Left back isn’t a huge problem area for the Clarets, with Bashir Humphreys plugging that gap admirably for most of the campaign, but behind him, Burnley’s only other option is Lucas Pires, who Parker has repeatedly shown that he won’t trust in big games.
If anything is to happen to Humphreys, then Parker would have to trust someone who he evidently doesn’t trust, which has the potential to derail Burnley’s promotion push.
