Chelsea will cross their fingers at Burnley, Everton transfer saga | OneFootball

Chelsea have every reason to keep a close eye on the potential transfer saga emerging from Everton's interest in Zian Flemming

Burnley earned a 2-2 draw at home to West Ham in their opening game of the new Championship season thanks to Zian Flemming.

The forward scored a brace to seal a comeback draw for the Clarets, who found themselves behind by two goals after 72 minutes.

Max Kilman and Manor Solomon looked to have given the Hammers a perfect start to life in the Championship, but the Dutchman had other ideas, scoring an 83rd minute penalty and a stoppage time equaliser.

This highlighted his importance to the side for the season ahead, with the club targeting promotion straight back to the Premier League.

Burnley face Everton saga to end the window

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It was reported earlier this week by journalist Ben Jacobs that Everton are interested in a deal to sign Flemming from Burnley.

They face competition from clubs in France, Italy and the Netherlands, but the Clarets are aiming to hold onto the forward before the 1 September deadline.

With how little time is left in the window, it could take a major offer in order to convince the Lancashire outfit to sell.

And finding a replacement won’t be an easy task at all for Burnley, who will need to not only replace his goals but his leadership qualities on the pitch that will help make Nicky Hayen’s side a promotion contender this season.

Chelsea could benefit from Burnley sale

Chelsea will be keeping abreast of the situation regarding Flemming, as it could be to their benefit if the Dutchman is sold.

The Blues agreed a loan move for Dastan Satpayev with Burnley earlier this summer, and they will want to see the youngster receive plenty of game time at Turf Moor this year.

The 18-year-old signed a long-term contract with the Premier League side prior to his temporary switch to the Championship, indicating that Chelsea think very highly of the forward.

While he can operate on the left flank as well, he is primarily a striker and the London outfit will be hoping that is where he gains most of his experience while out on loan.

The striker was not even in the match day squad against West Ham, so perhaps Flemming’s sale could open up room for him in the team for the rest of the season.

Datsan Satpayev’s development requires Burnley game time

Satpayev is very well regarded due to his performances at underage level for Chelsea, but he needs to be gaining consistent senior minutes to properly develop.

He has a contract with the Premier League side until 2033, showing their long-term commitment to him, but if he isn’t playing this season then that could hamper his chances of breaking into Xabi Alonso’s plans.

There will be some concerns from Stamford Bridge regarding the clash against West Ham in which he did not feature, but those concerns will wash away if Flemming is sold.

There is nobody getting ahead of the 28-year-old in the pecking order if he remains in Hayen’s squad based on his current form, so his exit will leave a hole that multiple players may be used to fill.

That is where Satpayev could benefit, otherwise Chelsea will be questioning why they sanctioned this move in the first place if he is going to be left by the wayside.

Zian Flemming’s impact at Burnley

Flemming was by far the standout figure for the Clarets last season, scoring 11 goals as the team suffered relegation from the Premier League.

It should come as no surprise that he is now attracting interest from clubs like Everton, as he has shown that he can contribute at a top flight level on a regular basis.

In a team that struggled for goals, he had a non-penalty expected goals (xG) of 0.32 per 90, while taking 2.69 shots each game (all stats from Fotmob).

Replacing this level of attacking threat will not be easy, and it’s why it should take a significant offer for the Clarets to cash in before the 1 September deadline.

But Chelsea will be hoping that this offer comes, as it could be key to unlocking a pathway to significant minutes for Satpayev this season.