Burnley will be very aware that possessing a feared striker will undoubtedly help their chances of staying up in the Premier League next season.
Unfortunately, they didn’t have that at their disposal during the 2023/24 campaign, which ultimately ended in relegation, leading to the goal-shy Clarets only firing home 41 strikes from 38 contests.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world if Scott Parker was now on the hunt for a fresh striker that can cause Premier League defences all sorts of bother.
Arguably, the promoted Lancashire outfit have struggled in this department ever since Chris Wood left Turf Moor in 2022, with the New Zealand international going on to bigger and better things at the City Ground, whilst his former employers attempted to plug his notable gap.
Wood's heroics at Burnley
Now, it goes without saying that the 33-year-old is a Premier League-recognised goal machine.
But when he joined the Clarets in the summer of 2017 for a club-record fee of £15m, he had only ever briefly played in the top division, away from regularly strutting his stuff in the Championship.
Yet, after five goal-heavy seasons donning a Burnley strip, Wood had very much announced himself to the Premier League, with the 33-year-old ending his successful stay with the Clarets by bagging 53 strikes in total from 165 games.
Therefore, it was always going to be a gruelling process to replace such a significant part of many a Clarets team, with a whole host of attackers failing to replicate or live up to Wood’s potency in the seasons that followed his departure to St James’ Park.
Zian Flemming
24/25
Champ
31
14
Zeki Amdouni
23/24
PL
37
6
Rodriguez
22/23
Champ
30
10
Jay Rodriguez
21/22
PL
35
7
Whilst Zian Flemming did help himself to a sizeable 14 strikes last season on the way to promotion being sealed, the Clarets really have lacked a commanding striker presence in the top-flight ever since Wood’s exit, away from some competent performances here and there from the likes of Zeki Amdouni and Jay Rodriguez.
Parker’s men could change this ongoing narrative, however, by swooping in for this former star who has been tentatively linked with a switch back to familiar pastures.
How Burnley could land their their best ST since Wood
Alongside a deep desire to possess a goal machine in the Premier League again, the newly promoted side will also be desperate to consolidate themselves as a top-flight regular once more.
To help with that, the Clarets could look to bring back former star Danny Ings, with journalist Graeme Bailey stating that the 32-year-old dramatically returning to Turf Moor should not be ruled out amidst the veteran being looked at by Birmingham City and Wrexham.
After all, before the much-talked-about spell of Wood came to be, the “clinical” forward – as he has been previously praised by journalist Leanne Prescott – was the original poacher Burnley relied upon to get them out of sticky situations.
In total, the 5-foot-10 menace would tally up a hefty 43 goals for the Clarets across 130 games, bolstering his 72-goal record in the top division subsequently.
Therefore, whilst he is more known now for injury issue after injury issue at West Ham United, Burnley could be prepared to take a punt on their former striker coming good again in their pursuit to win a Premier League-proven star.
After all, Ings did manage to collect a healthy eight goals from 15 top-flight starts during the 2022/23 season for the Hammers and Villa, before his injury problems settled in.
He would also cost nothing to bring in, amid his expiring Hammers contract, meaning Parker and Co. might well look very smug down the line if he proves to be a hit once more in becoming their most prolific attacker since Wood’s dominance.
Parker has struck gold on Burnley star who's worth more than Brownhill
Burnley will hope this star can settle into Premier League life well after an impressive debut season at Turf Moor.
ByKelan SarsonMay 23, 2025
