"May look to offload" - Forgotten 2023 Burnley signing tipped for January exit | OneFootball

FLW's Burnley fan pundit has given his view on defender Hannes Delcroix's future at the club.

This article is part of Football League World’s 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Burnley defender Hannes Delcroix is facing an uncertain future at Turf Moor as he continues his recovery from injury.

Delcroix joined Burnley last summer from Anderlecht and the move saw him reunite with then manager Vincent Kompany after they worked together previously during his time in charge of the Belgian side.

The 25-year-old immediately came into the Clarets team after his arrival but he quickly lost his place and his minutes became increasingly limited over the course of the season.

Decroix's last appearance for Burnley was in early March when he came on as a second-half substitute in the 2-2 draw at West Ham United, and he is yet to feature this season due to injury.

In the latest update on Delcroix's fitness, Clarets head coach Scott Parker said that he was back on the grass, but not training with his team-mates, and it remains to be seen when he will be available for selection.

Burnley fan pundit on Hannes Delcroix's future

FLW's Burnley fan pundit Nathan Rogers says it will be tough for Delcroix to break into the team when he returns from injury, and he believes that unless he can prove his worth, he is a player that the club could look to sell in the January transfer window.

"The Delcroix situation is a bit of a strange one," Nathan said.

"He didn't really put in any good performances last season, so he was one that I thought would have moved on and possibly gone back out to a European club somewhere.

"I think Scott Parker came in and wanted a fresh start for all players and to give all players a chance, so him getting injured probably has scuppered his chance to be part of the squad for the remainder of the season I would say.

"It would be very surprising if he came back from injury and got into the squad.

"Having that injury probably did scupper his chances of getting a move and we probably are stuck with him if I'm honest, which is never a good thing to be stuck with a player when he's injured and you're paying his wages.

"Hopefully if he does get fit, he can possibly contribute a small amount and improve that squad depth.

"If not, I think we may look to offload him in January."

Hannes Delcroix's Burnley exit looks inevitable in January

While his injury may have prevented him from securing a move, it is surprising that Delcroix did not leave Turf Moor this summer, and it seems certain he will depart in January.

Parker may be keen to give Delcroix an opportunity when he returns to fitness, but with strong competition for places at centre-back from Joe Worrall, Maxime Esteve, CJ Egan-Riley, Bashir Humphreys, John Egan and Hjalmar Ekdal, it seems highly unlikely that he will be able to force his way into the starting line-up.

Delcroix can also play at left-back, and given Lucas Pires' inconsistent performances since his summer move from Santos, that could be one potential route for him to get into the team.

However, it is fair to say that it has not worked out for Delcroix in Lancashire, and his exit in January would be the right move for all parties.