Burnley FC must fend off Turkish transfer advances and sort situation: View | OneFootball

The Clarets must fend off interest from the Süper Lig side as losing their most important player may derail season.

Trabzonspor are continuing their pursuit of Burnley captain Josh Brownhill.

Excelling in his sixth different season with the Lancashire club, Brownhill finds himself in the final year of his contract, and is yet to commit his future to Scott Parker's side.

The former Süper Lig champions have enticed a number of English players in the past decade, including Daniel Sturridge, Lewis Baker and, most recently, John Lundstram. The Turkish club made an initial attempt to sign Brownhill in August, with a bid believed to be in the region of €4 million.

Although they failed to qualify this season, Trabzonspor are a side that regularly play European football, a luxury that Burnley simply cannot offer. So, with the enticing prospect of new challenges for the former Preston man, how can the Championship club extinguish the temptation of a new adventure on the Black Sea?

Brownhill is playing his best football

His performance in England's second-tier this season, where he's already scored four goals, has only added to his appeal.

Burnley, of course, see their captain as a crucial part of their plans in attempting to return to the Premier League, especially after losing several important squad members following their relegation.

Of Burnley's nine Championship outings so far this season, Brownhill has played every minute, exemplifying his importance to operations at Turf Moor. Highlights include scoring the only goal against Plymouth Argyle, a calmly taken penalty, and a 94th minute winner against Portsmouth.

While the goals are a bonus, Brownhill's attributes in the middle of the park transcend statistics. He is a calm and experienced presence in a midfield that typically hold more possession than their opponents.

With five goal involvements in nine games, he is on course to improve upon his season best of 15 accrued in 2022/23, implying that certainly, from an offensive point of view, he is playing his best football.

More money in Turkey for Josh Brownhill

So, with the potential of Premier League football once again next season, is Trabzonspor really a more lucrative venture for Brownhill?

According to estimates from Capology, Burnley's captain is the club's top earner at present, accumulating £45,000 per week.

While Brownhill's current salary would already make him a top three earner at the former Turkish champions, it is plain to see that although the margins are not astronomical, the Black Sea Storm do out-muscle the English club.

So, how much would Brownhill make in Trabzon? While estimates would be speculative, a decent real-life example would be former Sheffield United and Rangers midfielder John Lundstram, who is currently at the Northern Turkish club.

Lundstram went from earning an estimated £1 million during his final season with Rangers, whereas his Trabzonspor contract is believed to be worth over double that figure per annum.

With this in mind, it is reasonable to expect Brownhill's offer to be equally fruitful, a salary of anywhere between £3-5 million, not exceeding that of defender Stefan Savic.

As the man from Warrington is already at the top of Alan Pace's payroll, trying to match this figure would near-destroy the current wage structure and potentially cause upset within the rest of the squad, leaving the club in a tricky position if Brownhill's head was turned.

Brownhill will always be a Burnley fan

In an interview with the Burnley Express, Brownhill spoke of the interest, the content of which made for concerning reading for Clarets fans.

“When it comes to the end of the year, the decision has to be made. Is it the right thing for me to stay? Is it the right thing for the club to want me to stay? A lot can change in that time.

“While I’m playing well, enjoying my football and scoring goals, I want to focus on that and see where it takes me until the end of the year.

“[It will be difficult to move on] But it’s football, it’s what happens. If you could stay forever I think you would, but it doesn’t happen.

“Whether it’s in the club’s best interest or the player’s, however the situation goes.

“For me, if and when that time does come, it will be very hard because I’ve spent five years here and I’ve made such a connection with the fans. Some strong ones as well.

“It will be very hard, because you know how much it means to them and you want to be there with them.

“But in 10 years or whatever it is, I will always be a Burnley fan, that’s just how it is because I’ve spent some good years here. I’ve had some unbelievable memories here and wherever I go after my career, I will definitely be a Burnley fan for life for sure.”

It sounds incredibly likely that Brownhill's tenure in the North West is coming to a close at this current moment, but there always remains a glimmer of hope.

Scott Parker must convince Brownhill of his project

With all this in mind, if Burnley truly want to try and keep their captain, all that can be done to retain the midfielder is assurance of short-term success at the club.

This will be down to Scott Parker, who, for the time being, is enjoying a fine start to life in Lancashire. Burnley currently sit in third place in the Championship table, one point adrift of leaders Sunderland.

The allure of the Premier League may keep Brownhill at Turf Moor, but he must be confident that not only is this achievement realistic, but also that the club have the infrastructure and staff to ensure they stay in the top-flight, and don't continue to yo-yo between the divisions.

Burnley simply must do all they can to keep Brownhill at the club. Although it may be a financial risk, matching whatever wages offered by the Turkish side may be a necessary evil, as it is near impossible to put a price on someone who embodies the heart and soul of the team.

He's a fan favourite, a key asset in the Championship and beyond, and, simply, someone they have to tempt with a new contract ASAP before someone else does.