Burnley FC would have to offload this pair if promoted - they aren't good enough for the Premier League | OneFootball

We looked at two players that Burnley would have to sell if they are promoted to the Premier League.

It has been an excellent season for Burnley in the Championship so far, and they will be hopeful that they can secure automatic promotion over the coming months.

Burnley were relegated from the Premier League last season after just one year in the division, but despite losing manager Vincent Kompany and a host of key players in the summer, they are in a strong position to bounce back to the top flight at the first attempt under the guidance of Scott Parker.

The Clarets have been in and around the top two for much of the season, with their success being built on a remarkable defensive record, but with the run-in fast approaching, they remain locked in a fierce battle for automatic promotion with Leeds United and Sheffield United.

Should Burnley achieve promotion, they will no doubt be determined to learn the lessons from their disappointing previous spell in the Premier League, and Parker may need to make some ruthless decisions as he assesses which players are good enough to make the step-up.

With that in mind, we looked at two players that the Clarets may need to offload in the summer if they are promoted.

Mike Tresor

Winger Mike Tresor joined Burnley on loan from Genk in the summer of 2023, and given that he scored eight goals and registered 24 assists in 42 games for the Belgian side the previous season, he looked to be an exciting signing for the club.

Unfortunately, Tresor did not reach anywhere near the same heights last season as the Clarets were relegated from the Premier League, but despite his underwhelming performances, the Lancashire outfit were obliged to buy him for a reported fee of £15.4 million in the summer.

Tresor's permanent move to Turf Moor did not end the speculation over his future, and following reports of interest from Dutch giants Ajax, a post from the 25-year-old on social media that appeared to suggest he was frustrated at not securing a move sparked anger from Burnley supporters.

Despite returning to full fitness in October, Tresor was continually left out of the matchday squad, and cryptic comments from Parker and owner Alan Pace only added to the mystery surrounding the winger's absence.

Tresor did make a surprise appearance as a substitute in the 3-1 win at Reading in the FA Cup in January, and he even provided an assist after coming off the bench, but he has since returned to the sidelines after picking up another injury, with Parker confirming that he will not be available "for a little while".

It is fair to say that Tresor has burned his bridges with the Clarets fan base, and at this point, it is increasingly difficult to see him having a future at the club, so his departure in the summer would be the right move for all parties.

Andreas Hountondji

Striker Andreas Hountondji made the move to Burnley from Caen for a reported fee of £3.4 million in the summer, but it has not worked out for him at Turf Moor so far.

Hountondji scored 16 goals and provided seven assists in 39 games during an impressive loan spell at Rodez in the French second division last season, so it is easy to see why the Clarets took a gamble on him, but as things stand, he looks like a costly transfer mistake.

The 22-year-old failed to score in 10 appearances for Burnley in the first half of the season, with only three of those coming from the start, and he was regularly overlooked by Parker despite his side's goalscoring problems.

With Lyle Foster, Ashley Barnes and even midfielder Zian Flemming ahead of him in the pecking order, Hountondji joined Standard Liege on loan in January, but he has struggled to make an impact during his time in Belgium, and that will do little to help him force his way back into Parker's plans next season.

Hountondji is still a young player with plenty of time to develop, but if Parker did not use him in the Championship, he is highly unlikely to feature in the Premier League, so his permanent exit seems inevitable if the Clarets are promoted.