Chelsea should loan a peace offering to Burnley’s Europa League campaign

Burnley begin their first European campaign in 51 years as one of only two Premier League teams yet to add a new player this summer. Chelsea should use Burnley’s Europa League needs as the chance to re-establish relations as a loan partner.

Changes comes slowly to Burnley, and they have few complaints for the patience-rewarding success Sean Dyche has delivered. That does not mean change does not come at all, nor that it answers only to the club’s internal rhythm. Like all clubs, Burnley need to bolster their squad ahead of the Premier League season. But the Clarets need more depth than most, as a club built for a slow march out of the Championship and a brief yo-yo now enter the European fray in the Europa League qualifiers.

Burnley and Tottenham are the only teams yet to sign a new player. West Bromwich Albion rejected Burnley’s bids for Craig Dawson and Jay Rodriguez. Dyche is as resolute as always about the pace of transfer business, but he knows he need more players soon, even if simply for depth and contingency.

Chelsea’s loan activity has far out-paced their actual transfer work. Their loans have been to Europe or the lower tiers in England. Chelsea finally placed a strong contingent of loanees across the Premier League last season, but without Michael Emenalo driving the issue, they risk falling into their old habits of poor loans that under-serve the young Blues.

Chelsea and Burnley can help each other out signficantly in the loan market, but they must move past their history. The last player Chelsea loaned to Burnley was Patrick Bamford. That loan resulted in six appearances for 33 minutes and acrimony all around, as Dyche supposedly lamented “silver spoon” players like Bamford from well-appointed academies like Chelsea’s.

At least in the opening years of a rapproachment, Chelsea cannot offer Burnley any academy products. Not youth players, not recent graduates. This greatly circumscribes the available Blues. Not many players are on Chelsea’s books, not in the first team, have top flight experience and did not come through the youth system. But there are a few, and at least two match Burnley’s needs.

Kurt Zouma tops the list. Burnley are in the market for centre-backs, having been linked to Alfie Mawson in addition to their failed pursuit of Craig Dawson. Zouma had a very strong season on loan at Stoke where, despite the team’s results, he showed his ability to play in a classic Premier League side. Mark Hughes and Gary Rowett are as close to a Sean Dyche seal of approval as anyone else in the top flight. Zouma has the physical presence and aerial command necessary to keep Turf Moor a fortress. The deficiencies that are keeping him on the fringes of Chelsea’s squad – namely his passing and ball-playing – are not qualities Dyche seeks out in his central defenders.

Another centre-back option is Matt Miazga. Miazga is stronger on the ball than Zouma, but otherwise has a similar defensive profile. Miazga falls well short of Zouma’s Premier League experience, but proved himself well at Vitesse Arnhem over the last two seasons. Miazga developed the technical and tactical skills that make Vitesse such as prime destination. Now he needs a season in the Bundesliga or Premier League to make him ready for Chelsea. Burnley would be the ultimate test of his physicality and traditional defensive chops.

Neither Zouma and Miazga came up through Chelsea’s academy, and both are experienced playing in Europe. Zouma played for St. Etienne before signing with the Blues and has 10 Champions League appearances with Chelsea. Miazga played every minute of Vitesse’s Europa League group stage last season, in addition to the two seasons in the Eredivisie.

Burnley need reinforcements to propel their Europa League campaign, keep them firmly in the top half of the Premier League table and try to carry their success over into the domestic cups. Most teams drop a few places when they enter European competition due to the accumulated fatigue and injury. Dyche is sanguine about their prospects in the Premier League given the entrenchment among the top six. This can inspire them to push harder in the Europa League and cups, but that can further impact their place in the table.

Burnley are as strong and disciplined as teams come, but that does not mean they are invulnerable. Sean Dyche has worked too hard to get them this far for the club to leave him under-manned when so much of their work is paying off. A loan can tide them over for the season while they plot the next chapter for Burnley as a regular Premier League side. Chelsea can build a key ally at a moment when both clubs are particularly able to benefit from such an arrangement.

All that needs to happen is two notoriously stubborn clubs to put the past aside and focus their positivity on the future. What could possibly derail that?