Parker’s Burnley are the pick for this Premier League outright market

Although Scott Parker’s side have invested plenty, they lost key player James Trafford. Their rivals may be in better shape for the season.

Odds courtesy of Stake. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

Burnley’s summer business

The Clarets have spent a lot of money in the last couple of months. Although Loum Tchaouna and Bashir Humphreys were their biggest arrivals, Marcus Edwards and Jaidon Anthony weren’t cheap to sign, either. Quilindschy Hartman and Zian Flemming have also joined, with Scott Parker aiming to bolster his ranks.

The issue is that they lack experience in the Premier League. Burnley have plenty of players with potential, and the average age of their team is under 26. However, they need more experienced top-flight players to avoid relegation.

Kyle Walker, a player with untold experience at this level, has joined. Also, Ashley Barnes has played in many Premier League games. However, fans will be fascinated to see how they perform as they have many players who are inexperienced at this level. They’re at the top table currently.

It could be argued, of course, that they’re building for the future, which is definitely a good thing. If they are relegated this season, as many expect, the Clarets should be in a strong position to get promoted again.

Have they done enough to stay up?

Burnley’s defence was their main strength last season. They conceded just 16 goals in the entire Championship season and lost only twice on their way to 100 points. Although Leeds United scored more and won more, Parker's side seemed very difficult to score against at times.

They’ve managed to keep most of their side together, but they have lost some key players. Trafford moved to Manchester City, and CJ Egan-Riley now plays for Marseille. Both will be greatly missed in Lancashire, as will captain Josh Brownhill.

It is not yet clear whether they’ve got enough to cope with those departures. Their backline will be tested much more in the PL. It’s not so easy to keep clean sheets against attackers such as Erling Haaland, Mo Salah, and Alexander Isak. They’re going to have a difficult task.

Then there are their relegation rivals. Sunderland are the other side that are expected to finish bottom, but they’ve had a better transfer window. The additions of Granit Xhaka, Reinildo Mandava, and Habib Diarra are particularly impressive. They’ll back themselves to improve.

Meanwhile, Leeds United didn’t seem like a Championship outfit last season. They have made solid signings to add to an already strong squad. They’ll probably be near the relegation zone, but are not expected to finish in the bottom two.

Of course, there’s still time left in the summer transfer window. Burnley are likely to land Chelsea duo Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu, while Martin Dubravka has also been linked. All three would provide more options to Parker and make the team stronger.

However, will even that be enough to avoid being relegated like Southampton? Only time will tell.