Aaron Lennon is set to depart Burnley after rejecting a new contract, according to The Athletic’s Andy Jones and David Ornstein.
Aaron Lennon Set to Depart Burnley
One of Five First-Team Players Out of Contract
The former Tottenham winger is one of five first-team players out of contract this summer.
Premier League clubs have a deadline of Tuesday 23 June to agree short-term extensions for players out of contract at the end of June.
However, Burnley are yet to agree on any short-team deal for any of their five players, including Lennon. As a result, they could have to finish the season with a smaller squad.
The 33-year-old has predominantly been used as a bit-part player throughout much of his time at Turf Moor. Manager Sean Dyche has used Lennon from the bench from most of his 55 appearances.
Who Else Is Out of Contract?
Burnley are also set to lose Joe Hart, Jeff Hendrick, Phil Bardsley and Adam Legzdins to free transfers, should they not agree new deals before the Tuesday deadline.
Goalkeepers Hart and Legzdins are both likely to leave. The former has made just three appearances for the Clarets this season, all of which have come in cup competitions, while Legzdins is merely a third-choice ‘keeper.
However, both Bardsley and Hendrick are regulars in the starting line-up under Sean Dyche. Bardsley has featured 15 times for Burnley this season at right-back, sharing the role with Matt Lowton.
Irish midfielder Hendrick is a favourite of Sean Dyche’s in midfield due to his reliability and sturdiness in midfield. Despite operating in a more unnatural position of right wing at times this season, the 28-year-old has not looked out of place in the starting line-up.
As a result, Sean Dyche could be left in a difficult should none of the four players agree on new deals and depart Turf Moor for free. Burnley have one of the smallest budgets in the Premier League, and trying to replace them is likely to prove difficult due to the financial implications of Coronavirus.
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