Burnley have already moved on two goalkeepers, Martin Dúbravka and Vaclav Hladky, after relegation from the Premier League. The bigger question is who stays. Axel Tuanzebe and Ashley Barnes are both still in discussions over new deals, and that keeps the club's summer reset from being just a clear-out.
Why Tuanzebe and Barnes matter more than the exits
The two players are very different cases. Tuanzebe, 28, featured 15 times for Burnley last season after joining on a free transfer from Ipswich Town. His last five Burnley matches brought 484 minutes and a 6.48 average rating, which suggests he was being used as a regular defensive option rather than a fringe body.
Barnes is the other end of the scale. He re-joined last season on an 18-month deal and has made 320 appearances in total across two spells with Burnley. His last five appearances amounted to 65 minutes and a 6.36 average rating, so the club have clearly been managing him as a veteran forward rather than asking him to carry the load every week.
That contrast is why these talks matter. Burnley are not just deciding whether to keep experience in the squad, they are deciding which version of that experience still fits the rebuild. The goalkeeper exits are already done. Tuanzebe and Barnes are the part of the summer that still needs a call.
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