Exclusive: David Prutton drops Burnley, Zian Flemming opinion as £7m+ deal is struck.

David Prutton believes Zian Flemming’s physicality will help him succeed in the Premier League and justify Burnley’s decision to sign him from Millwall.

Even though Flemming has been on loan with the Clarets since Deadline Day, it is widely assumed that he will end the season at Turf Moor.

According to the South London Press, Burnley agreed to temporarily sign the 26-year-old from the Lions. However, the deal included an obligation to buy him for up to £7 million in the summer.

Burnley has had to buy multiple players due to loan clauses. Jaidon Anthony, Marcus Edwards, and Bashir Humphreys’ loans from AFC Bournemouth, Sporting Lisbon, and Chelsea have been made permanent as the Clarets were promoted to the Premier League. According to The Sun, Burnley’s quartet will cost around £40 million.

Zian Flemming is expected to lead Burnley to Premier League success.

Flemming’s reported fee is not a significant portion of that figure, and Prutton, an EFL presenter for Sky Sports and former player, believes he will be worth what Scott Parker’s team paid for him.

Prutton said signing the Dutchman permanently was “very much, well worth (it)” for the Clarets. “I thought he led the queue extremely well. Zian is a physical presence in Burnley’s forward line, complemented by Josh Brownhill’s incredible performance. However, he also serves as a good foil for attacking intent from other areas of the pitch.

“There’s a lot to like about him, and as I mentioned, that big physical presence is something they’ll need in the Premier League.” But that obscures the fact that he is a good player with the ball at his feet and a strong and willing runner in behind.”

Scott Parker’s style will boost Burnley’s survival chances.

Burnley would prefer survival in the Premier League next season, despite the trend of Championship clubs rising to the top flight and then falling back down.

This season has not produced the most visually appealing football that Turf Moor has ever seen. Yes, near the end, the club’s forwards began to fire a little more, but they had a long, barren spell in 2024 that was not pleasant.

However, it is pointless to score a lot of goals if you concede a lot more, a message that Parker clearly conveyed throughout the season. Burnley boasted a historically strong backline. This season, Burnley’s formidable triangle of CJ Egan-Riley, Maxime Esteve, and James Trafford made it difficult for opponents to overcome them.

They only conceded 16 goals in 46 games, giving them a solid foundation to consistently score points, even when they struggled at the other end of the pitch.

This defensive formula is effective for newly promoted Premier League sides. Burnley learnt the hard way that Vincent Kompany’s more free-flowing, modern system often fails at the highest level due to insufficient quality.

Keeping that core together will not be easy. Esteve and Trafford, in particular, have generated a lot of interest. If they can carry Parker’s resoluteness into the Premier League, they will have a much better chance of staying up than when Kompany was in charge.

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