Burnley FC hit a hole in one with £500k Championship transfer | OneFootball

Josh Laurent has been an exceptional purchase for Burnley.

Burnley fans can only be delighted with the current Championship standings.

Having seen head coach Vincent Kompany depart for Bayern Munich amid a mass exodus of players, it was unclear how Scott Parker would fare with his new side.

However, the Clarets new boss has had a superb start to life at Turf Moor, and currently, his side is sitting in second place, two points off league leaders Sheffield United. The most impressive aspect has been Burnley's defensive nous, as they have only conceded six goals in 18 games.

This has certainly been a team effort, with Parker placing trust in his men to defend from Jay Rodriguez up front to James Trafford in goal.

The team hasn't come without standouts though, and the likes of Maxime Esteve and Josh Brownhill have been brilliant, but a player going under the radar is Josh Laurent.

When Laurent made the move to Turf Moor, eyebrows were raised as it seemed an atypical signing to Alan Pace's usual additions, which had seen young players from abroad join the club.

However, he has proven to be a shrewd addition, and he has added a different dimension to the midfield.

Josh Laurent proved his worth at Stoke City

Prior to joining up with Parker this summer, Laurent had to earn his chance in the Championship after proving himself in League One with a spell at Shrewsbury Town.

Playing for Reading and, more recently, Stoke City, the 29-year-old has the ability to feature anywhere in the midfield from an advanced position to playing the defensive role.

The 2022-23 season was arguably his most impressive at the Potters as he performed brilliantly from central midfield. Across multiple metrics, he ranked highly against his fellow midfielders and this sort of talent is likely what interested Burnley in the summer.

Signed for an initial fee of £500,000, which could rise to £1 million, Laurent's departure left Stoke supporters disappointed, and he returned to haunt Narcis Pelach's side last Saturday, setting up Jay Rodriguez in Burnley's 2-0 win.

While that was his first goal contribution for the club, it shouldn't take away from what has been a good opening three months for Laurent, who has endeared himself to the Turf Moor faithful already.

Laurent demanding a spot in Parker's side

In his 14 appearances for the Clarets so far, Laurent has showcased his versatility under Parker, filling various roles across the midfield.

Though he has made just seven starts, his performances when completing a full 90 minutes have been outstanding, with the former Salopian creating chances for those ahead of him and winning battles in the midfield.

While it is likely he will continue to struggle to get in ahead of Josh Cullen and Brownhill, he should be aiming to make that attacking midfield position his. So far this season, he has shared those duties with Hannibal Mejbri and Jeremy Sarmiento, but with neither of them overly impressing, Parker should entrust the 29-year-old.

Arguably, this isn't his strongest position, but with Mejbri and the Brighton loanee more attack-minded, it suits Burnley's current style to stick with Laurent.

This signing is beginning to look like a shrewd move on Pace's behalf and, although it may not have future monetary beneficiaries, it shouldn't be overlooked the impact Laurent can have on this squad.