Roberts has started seven of the Clarets’ Championship games this season, missing four with injury, but after recovering from his knock, he’s back to being a regular starter.
The Welshman’s time at Turf Moor hasn’t been plain sailing, with illness and injury meaning it took a while to really find his feet at Burnley, but he’s been like a new signing for the club since returning from his short-term loan spell at Leeds United in the summer, and he’s set to play an important role this season.
However, the 29-year-old sees his contract at Burnley expire in the summer, and he’s about to enter the final six months of his deal, meaning the club have a decision to make when it comes to offering him a new one or not.
Burnley might soon have to take action over Connor Roberts’ future
With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, Burnley need to make a decision in the very near future about whether they want to keep the Welshman at the club.
If they intend to keep Roberts at the club, then offering him a new deal before the transfer window opens to ensure no clubs come in with a bid for him would be important, but you sense that there are a lot of factors at play when it comes to deciding the 29-year-old’s future.
It remains to be seen what league Burnley will be in next season, and while Roberts has played 39 games of Premier League football across his spell with the Clarets and at Swansea, he struggled for regular league top-flight minutes last season and subsequently joined Championship side Leeds on loan.
If Burnley return to the top-flight, would they really want Roberts, who turns 30 at the start of next season at the club, particularly if he’s not first choice?
The right-back is a fantastic Championship player, but he’s never been a regular in the Premier League, and it’s unlikely that will change when he enters his thirties.
It gives the Clarets a real dilemma, as it’s hard to build a squad when you don’t know what division you’re going to be in, and it leaves Roberts in limbo too.
When he has less than six months left on his deal, he’s free to sign a pre-contract with sides from abroad, and you’d imagine that Roberts wouldn’t be short of suitors from both England and perhaps abroad.
Burnley would surely rather sell him in January than see him leave for free after signing a pre-contract elsewhere, and it gives Parker and the club’s hierarchy a real dilemma, as they’ll have to make their minds up in the very near future.
Connor Roberts will be looking to win another promotion to the Premier League
Roberts has established himself as a superb Championship defender and has a respectable league record, despite his inability to break into the Premier League.
He has made it to the playoffs three more times, including the finals in 2021 with Swansea and 2024 with Leeds, and he won the title with Burnley in 2023.
Roberts’ return to the team after Burnley’s relegation was significant because of his league experience, and he seems to be a Parker favorite, starting every game in while he has been healthy.
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