Burnley FC: Sunderland situation shows Scott Parker must make January sale | OneFootball

Mike Tresor was again absent from the Burnley squad against Sunderland

Mike Tresor is the name on every Burnley fan's lips at the moment - will he stay or will he go?

After a brief cameo against Reading in the FA Cup at the start of the month, Burnley fans would've been forgiven for expecting it would be the former of those options, and he'd just resurrected his Turf Moor career.

But ultimately, his exclusion from Friday night's squad to face Sunderland showed that he can't be called upon when it matters most.

In fact, for most of the campaign, Burnley fans haven't even known where he's been, largely owing to the fact that before his Reading cameo he hadn't been in a single matchday squad all season long.

Aside from the odd training photo on the club's official website, there were no other signs that he was remotely close to featuring - or even at the club - as it felt like Scott Parker was making continual excuses for his unexplained absence.

Scott Parker was behind Mike Tresor's Sunderland absence

Ultimately, it was Parker behind his absence against Sunderland, but that was only found out post-match when he ws quizzed by reporters, with most Burnley fans stunned at his exclusion.

Speaking after the 0-0 draw, Parker said: "He was available, yes, so it was a decision from myself not to involve Mikey."

That was decision that shocked a lot of Clarets fans, who really believed that after his Reading cameo it was the start of a Turf Moor revival, but in truth, that was always unlikely.

Putting his Reading performance under the microscope, it was evident that he has quality, as he showed by setting up the two goals which ultimately secured Burnley's progression, but his effort, or lack of it, was something that stood out more.

If a big-money player of his calibre can't be trusted in a game like that, then when can he? Probably never, but after the Reading game, it was understandable to see why Parker left him out, because that effort level won't wash against the better sides in the division, which Sunderland are one of.

It's no secret Parker prefers to trust players who he knows what he's getting from, hence why the likes of Jaidon Anthony and even Hannibal have been favoured on the wing, and Tresor certainly is unpredictable.

Scott Parker needs to move Mike Tresor on this month

As important as making signings this month for Burnley is moving Tresor on, who seems to be the kind of bad apple no one wants in the camp - particularly most Clarets fans.

The Clarets spent the best part of £16m to sign him from Genk in the summer of 2023, after he initially signed on loan with a purchase obligation, and to even get half of that investment back on a man who's barely kicked a ball in the last 18 months would be good business for Burnley.

Ajax and Anderlecht are possible destinations for Tresor, as is Leeds United, but Burnley should be doing everything possible to push him towards a European departure to avoid strengthening a rival.

A small minority of Burnley fans will be keen to still give Tresor a chance, but it seems as though that ship has now sailed, and it's hard to see a way in which he has a future at Turf Moor, as he simply can't be trusted in bigger games.