Burnley FC simply cannot let the transfer vultures capture these 3 Clarets stars in January | OneFootball

In the midst of a promotion battle, Burnley simply can't let these three stars leave in January

Most Burnley fans would acknowledge that bringing in reinforcements is imperative in January, but just as important may be keeping hold of their key players.

Attacking reinforcements will be high on Scott Parker's January wishlist, but that list could yet become even longer with uncertainty surrounding some of their stars.

In the thick of a promotion battle, Parker - who's been promoted out of this league twice before - knows exactly what it takes to get promoted, but there's a growing sense that he's missing some of the ingredients to make his side successful.

After a turbulent summer that saw a raft of players leave the club after relegation, and a raft come in to replace them, the drop-off in quality levels certainly hasn't helped the Clarets and has made January's window even more important.

It's evident that the calibre of players recruited in the summer was nowhere near the level of those who left, so keeping hold of what few real quality players Burnley have left could be key to any promotion aspirations, and these are the three who appear the most vital to retain.

Luca Koleosho

Burnley may already be planning for life after Luca Koleosho, given he was linked with a summer move to Bayern Munich recently, but in January, it's imperative they fend off any advances to keep hold of him.

In a Clarets side void of creativity, Koleosho has been one of few bright sparks in attack, and although he has flattered to deceive at times, he's still one of their main attacking outlets.

His raw pace and ability to glide past players is a rare commodity in the Championship, but the 19-year-old is still missing the end product from his game, hence why he probably still plays for Burnley and not one of the big-hitters.

Holding onto him for at least another six months will be key to any promotion hopes they have, as replacing him with a player of his quality will be near impossible at Championship level.

Josh Brownhill

Josh Brownhill is a drastically different case to the other two players featuring here, as he isn't tied down to a long-term contract.

His Burnley deal expires in the summer, which leaves the club in a dilemma - do they cash in now, or lose him for free in the summer - as it appears likely that he now won't be signing a new deal.

It's a risk/reward scenario for the Clarets, who know that the fee they'd receive in January would be nominal compared to what they could claim if he helps them bounce back to the Premier League.

It would seem silly to sell your club captain and ever-present midfielder in January when you're in the midst of a promotion battle unless the money is obscenely high, which it's unlikely to be.

Brownhill gets the club, fans and the town, and his presence on the pitch would be difficult to replace amid Premier League interest.

He's a must-not-sell player in January.

Maxime Esteve

Maxime Esteve is another Burnley player attracting Premier League interest, but like the other two, he's a player who the Clarets simply can't afford to sell if they're serious about going straight back up.

The Frenchman's is slightly different in the sense Burnley have a raft of options to choose from at centre-back, and their defensive form is quite good.

That owes largely to Esteve though, who, despite being just 22 years of age, has been a leader in the back line and organised what was a fractious defence after relegation.

He's struck up a nice partnership with CJ Egan-Riley and breaking that up would almost certainly be detrimental to their promotion push.

One slight issue comes in the form of the money a Premier League club would put on the table, but selling mid-season is never ideal and Burnley's figure should be adjusted to accommodate the detrimental impact his departure would have on the side.