Burnley told to avoid Sunderland transfer before September 1st deadline | OneFootball

FLW's Burnley fan pundit isn't too enthused about the links between the Clarets and Jocelin Ta Bi

Burnley fell to their first defeat of the new campaign on Sunday, losing 3-1 against a resurgent West Brom side at the Hawthorns.

It's not been as smooth a transition back into the second tier this season as it was the last time the Clarets were relegated to the Championship.

Under Scott Parker, Burnley won their first two games by a 9-1 aggregate scoreline, and it took until the 11th game for the club to concede five goals. After two games this season, five goals have been conceded, and they have just one point.

Evidently, the squad isn't as strong as it was to start the 2024/25 campaign, due mainly in part to a hectic summer and the World Cup delaying player movement, but as we enter the final week of the transfer window, it's still clear that work needs to be done to bolster the Burnley squad.

Burnley fan pundit rejects idea of loaning Sunderland's Jocelin Ta Bi

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One way to improve the squad at Burnley could come through loaning in Sunderland wideman Jocelin Ta Bi. According to Sebastian Denis, the Clarets are in the race for the 20-year-old alongside West Ham United, Hull City and a few Ligue 1 sides.

Ta Bi arrived at the Stadium of Light in January after a solid 18 months on loan at Israeli top-flight side Hapoel Petah Tikva, where he scored seven and assisted five. He's yet to make his mark in England, though, making just two substitute appearances in the latter half of last season.

It seems like Regis Le Bris' side is open to him developing elsewhere this season, but FLW's Burnley fan pundit, Aaron Wright, would prefer to see the Clarets sign some more experienced Championship quality in the final week of the window.

"I just want Championship experience," he admitted. "It looks like the entire team doesn't know what the Championship is about, just floating in thinking that we'd coast the league because we've brought in these Prem players.

"So yeah, I don't want anyone without Championship experience, and that's not a short on this lad."

Furthermore, with Sunderland being rather inactive in the transfer market this summer ahead of a campaign where they'll be competing in the Europa League alongside their domestic responsibilities, the whole squad at the Stadium of Light will need to be used.

If Ta Bi still isn't in the plans given that, then Wright doesn't think he'll be good enough.

"Loaning players from Sunderland when they've got such a congested season to contend with, like, they've got a full Championship number of games to play," he continued. "With the Premier League and the cups, they've got a minimum of eight Europa League games.

"If you can't find minutes for him this season, whether it's a few off the bench, why should we be helping them?"

Burnley fan pundit wants to see Clarets pushing to catch Sunderland, rather than loaning their players

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Burnley finished 24 points ahead of Sunderland in the 2024/25 Championship campaign, so to see them flourishing while they're back in the second tier two years later is difficult to see.

The Black Cats are proof that newly promoted clubs can thrive, something which Burnley haven't done the last two times they've been in the top flight.

Wright can understand loaning up-and-coming talent from the traditional 'big six' sides to help aid in their development, such as Manchester City's Max Alleyne and Chelsea's Dastan Satpaev, but helping Sunderland develop their own players doesn't sit right with him.

"Sunderland should be a team we are trying to catch. Granted, we went down, but they came up with us," the fan pundit explained. "They're a team we should be aiming for; they've not been in the Premier League for five years.

"That's not a slight on Ta Bi or Sunderland, but we shouldn't be loaning from them. It doesn't scream that the club know what they are doing if we bring him in.

"We need leaders, we need experience, we need everything that we didn't show against West Brom, and a youngster from Sunderland whose experience comes in the top flight of Israel is just not worth it."

Burnley don't desperately need wingers as the transfer window nears closure

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Wright almost sarcastically ended by stating, "I wouldn't [sign him], but who knows, he is a winger, and our owners love buying and loaning wingers."

Right now, Burnley have enough players whose primary position is on the wing or who could play out wide well enough if called upon.

What position do you think Burnley need to target towards the end of the transfer window? Let us know in the comments.

Marcus Edwards and Jacob Bruun Larsen started against both West Ham and West Brom, with the likes of Jaydon Banel and Lluc Castell in immediate reserve, albeit the former currently injured, and Mike Tresor and Zeki Amdouni as versatile attackers, too.

While every position in the squad should be open to upgrades if the right deal arises, just bringing in a winger who doesn't immediately make Nicky Hayen's squad better would raise some eyebrows.

And, given the number of young players who Burnley are taking chances on this season, whether they be permanent signings or loanees, some more experience should definitely be on the top of the shopping list in the final week of the window.