Burnley could be forced to sell James Trafford and another star as Clarets’ previous mistakes come back to haunt them

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EFL Analysis can exclusively reveal that James Trafford and one other Burnley star could be sold by the club this summer in order to generate funds.

Burnley secured promotion to the Premier League in emphatic style as Scott Parker’s men hit the 100-point mark across 46 games.

Parker’s side were named the ‘most underrated’ team in the Championship promotion battle and were rock solid defensively, recording 30 clean sheets across the season.

Their plans for the top flight have already taken a hit though after defender CJ Egan-Riley confirmed he’d be joining Strasbourg in France.

Egan-Riley isn’t the only one of the defensive duo who could be exiting Turf Moor though as an update on Trafford and one other star has been revealed.

• READ MORE: Championship transfer round-up: Norwich bag bargain, Burnley suffer blow, Birmingham City begin work

James Trafford and Maxime Esteve could leave Burnley due to financial issues

According to EFL Analysis expert Graeme Bailey, we can exclusively reveal that Maxime Esteve will be sold in the summer, and Trafford may be another sacrificial offering due to the Clarets’ financial issues.

Bailey added that Burnley are allegedly in a “massive mess” after a huge spending spree under Vincent Kompany in their last league campaign.

He said: “What we’re hearing is Burnley is a massive mess. If they didn’t go up, they could have been going into administration apparently. They owe loads of money on previous deals. They spent too much money the last time they went up with Vincent Kompany, and they’re in all sorts of trouble.

“Maxime Esteve will have to be sold. At least one other will have to be sold. James Trafford is one that may have to go.”

Trafford could still stay though according to the expert, who added that the number of goalkeepers in the market, such as Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher, will also be wanted by other clubs.

How much did Burnley pay for James Trafford?

The England Under-21 international joined Burnley from Manchester City in 2019 for a fee reported to be worth £15m, with add-ons taking the deal to £19m.

Trafford joined the Clarets in July 2023 and has been a near ever-present ever since.

His performances have gathered the attention of several clubs, however, Trafford has been ignoring all speculation linking him with a move away so far.

With a daunting season coming up, it’s vital that Burnley keep their best players.