"An odd one" - Burnley urged to offload Connor Roberts on one clear condition | OneFootball

FLW's Burnley fan pundit has given his verdict on Connor Roberts' contract situation

Connor Roberts is out of contract at Burnley at the end of the current Championship season.

The full-back is in his fourth campaign at Turf Moor, having joined the club from Swansea City in the summer of 2021.

The 29-year-old has started four of the Clarets’ opening league games, making one further appearance from the bench (all stats from Fbref).

However, no decision has yet been made over his immediate future with Burnley, meaning he could depart in the summer as a free agent.

Roberts is one of five players out of contract with the club in 2025.

Connor Roberts, Burnley contract claim

When asked about whether Roberts’ contract should be renewed, FLW’s Burnley fan pundit Nathan Rogers suggested that it is likely to depend on their league status for next season.

He believes that keeping him makes most sense as long as they remain in the Championship, suggesting he’s not needed for life in the Premier League if promotion is earned.

“Connor Roberts is an odd one for me,” Rogers told Football League World.

“In the Premier League, he’s not good enough.

“He was caught out too many times for Burnley, but Championship level he is more than adequate, a top six Championship player.

“He does have some mistakes in his game, he tends to make rash tackles or rash decisions at least, sort of second yellows, dives in on players or whatnot.

“If we don’t get promoted, he’s a player we have to try and keep, now whether we can do that is easier said than done, I think he’s a player we should be keeping on the books, if we stay in the Championship.

“If we get into the Premier League, I think he’s a player we maybe need to offload back into the Championship, whether that’s on loan or if we get a fee for him.

“For now, he is a canny operator for us, and he’s doing the job required, and he’s got a second chance to prove himself at Burnley now that [Vincent] Kompany has left the club.

"He didn’t favour him at all in the Premier League.”

Connor Roberts’ importance to Burnley

Roberts was a regular presence in the side during their promotion success under Vincent Kompany in 2023, playing in 43 of their 46 league games.

He contributed four goals and six assists as the Lancashire outfit won the Championship title.

But he made just 14 appearances in the first half of the Premier League campaign, leading to a loan move to Leeds United.

It remains to be seen whether Burnley will opt to hold onto Roberts beyond 2025 or not at this stage.

Burnley are in a tricky place with Roberts’ deal

Burnley may want to wait until their league status for next year is known before making any kind of decision on Roberts’ future.

However, that is unlikely to be figured out until May, and the player may not want that level of uncertainty over his future that far into the campaign.

He is a useful player to have in the squad, especially in the Championship, but it could be time for him to move on in 2025.

If the club does gain promotion to the Premier League, then that could spell the end of his time at Turf Moor.