'No disrespect to QPR' - Burnley backed to sign £4.5m star | OneFootball

FLW's Burnley fan pundit is keen on adding Ronnie Edwards this summer, after reports stated they were interested in the QPR defender

Burnley are hoping for an immediate return to the Premier League once more this season, after their last two Championship ventures ended in promotion with at least 100 points.

Therefore, high standards are being bestowed upon Nicky Hayen's side already, especially defensively, as the Clarets conceded just 16 times the last time they played in the second tier.

The final member of the trio who contributed to that mammoth defensive record has moved on this summer, after Maxime Esteve left Turf Moor, one year after CJ Egan-Riley and James Trafford, joining RB Leipzig for £27.3 million.

The Frenchman had become a real fans' favourite at the back during his time at Turf Moor, so replacing him will be a tall order. Bashir Humphreys, who was forced to play left-back two years ago due to that trio, will likely slot into his role, but questions surround who will partner him.

According to West London Sport, Burnley are interested in bringing in QPR's Ronnie Edwards to answer that question. The former England under-21 international arrived back at Loftus Road one year on from a successful loan spell for £4.5 million this past January, but the Clarets are keen on seeing him change clubs once more this summer.

Burnley fan pundit pleased with reports linking Clarets to Ronnie Edwards

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Given Edwards has spent just six months back at Loftus Road, and that QPR will definitely see him as an important part of what they hope is a successful campaign where they challenge for a top-eight spot, Julien Stephan's side will definitely be reluctant to let the 23-year-old go.

But, with Burnley's status as a side in receipt of parachute payments, FLW's Clarets fan pundit, Aaron Wright, doesn't think that a fee that's close to £10 million, for example, would be an issue, and is keen on signing him.

"This isn't any sort of projection to the rest of the league, but that depends on what you value as big to a parachute payment team. We've signed players for £7/£8/£9 million before, which is the kind of money I'd presume it would take, given they only just signed him in January for £4.5 million," he said.

"Whenever I've seen Ronnie Edwards, I've been very impressed with him; he's a very capable defender. I don't think he'd be a direct Esteve replacement; that would be Humphreys, but to play alongside him.

"I think he's a good, capable defender who has growth within him, whether that be Premier League or top-end Championship, and that's no disrespect to QPR; they just haven't been at the top end for quite a while."

The Hoops will definitely be wanting to end their perennial mid-table status this season, and Edwards will definitely be a big part of that happening, if he stays. At Burnley, though, there's a little more of a certainty when it comes to playing for one of the division's top sides.

The 23-year-old would form a young defensive trio in goal and at centre-back, but with Kyle Walker likely set to play at right-back, Wright feels that Edwards would be able to adapt to a promotion challenge easily.

"The only thing that would worry me is that we'd have a young keeper in Max Weib, young centre-backs in Humphreys and then Edwards, potentially; I'm trying not to think too far ahead!" he added.

"But, yeah, Edwards is someone I'd have near the top of my list. I could see him playing well, and whether it's Walker or [Connor] Roberts outside him, he'll have a good experienced defender next to him, so he could grow into the role.

"I'd consider £7/£8/£9 million to be a fair deal and one that would interest me very much."

Ronnie Edwards could realise his Premier League potential at Burnley

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This time last year, Edwards was preparing to be one of the starting defenders for whom many had labelled as promotion challengers in Southampton under Will Still.

The Belgian boss' time in the Championship was short-lived, though, and under Tonda Eckert, the 23-year-old didn't see much of the pitch, playing just seven minutes of league football before his permanent switch to QPR.

Edwards is a former England Under-21 international, though, and was one of the EFL's hottest prospects at Peterborough United, prompting a £3 million move to the Saints while they were a Premier League side.

There's still top-flight potential in the 23-year-old, and while QPR will hope he can realise that at Loftus Road, there's a much greater chance of that happening at Burnley, given their status as a recently relegated Premier League club.

The Clarets will definitely incur a struggle to bring Edwards to Turf Moor, given how well-thought of he is at QPR, so they'll definitely be hoping that the prospect of playing Premier League football again in the near future could be enough to lure him away.