Fresh off a stellar Championship campaign that saw them rack up 100 points and earn automatic promotion, Burnley are wasting no time making bold changes.
In a ruthless post-promotion shake-up, the club has announced that 15 players will be let go—and it doesn’t matter how famous their names are, or how glittering their pasts may be.
Scott Parker, stepping into his third Premier League promotion as a manager, is clearly not interested in sentiment.
He’s focused on building a squad that can avoid repeating history—Burnley’s last two seasons in the top flight both ended in relegation.
Big Names Shown the Door
One of the most eye-catching departures is Jonjo Shelvey, a former Liverpool and England midfielder who’s played over a decade in the Premier League.
At 33, Shelvey only managed 11 minutes of playtime since arriving from Turkish club Eyupspor in January—and now he’s being released.
Another seasoned Premier League pro, Nathan Redmond, is also on the out list.
The 31-year-old made just three appearances this season and, despite his nine top-flight campaigns, has been deemed surplus to requirements.
Between them, Shelvey and Redmond boast a combined 554 Premier League appearances—yet that experience wasn’t enough to secure their futures at Turf Moor.
Both will officially depart when their contracts expire on June 30.
Burnley Thanks Departing Players as Contract Talks Continue
Burnley issued a short but respectful statement, saying:
“Burnley Football Club thank all the leaving players for their contributions and wish them all the very best for their future career.”
Meanwhile, not every departure is confirmed just yet.
Josh Brownhill, CJ Egan-Riley, and Ashley Barnes all have contracts running out, but the club is still in talks about potentially keeping them on.
Ronaldinho’s Son Among Youth Players Released
It wasn’t just first-team players who felt the axe.
Burnley also released 13 academy players, including a notable name: Joao Mendes, the son of Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho.
The 20-year-old winger, who previously played for Barcelona’s youth ranks, signed for Burnley last summer.
But despite his footballing heritage, he hasn’t made the cut at Turf Moor.
Mendes is leaving along with several other under-21 prospects, including:
Alex Healy-Byrne, Will Hugill, Lewis Richardson, Basilio Rieno Socoliche, Jon Ander Vilar Robinson, Ryan Tioffo, and Brandon Ly.
Burnley also parted ways with five under-18 players:
Adam Abbas, Ben Jordison, Logan Carlin, Luca Jackson, and Frankie McMahon-Brown.
Scott Parker Aims for Premier League Redemption
This will be Scott Parker’s third crack at managing in the Premier League, after promotions with Fulham and Bournemouth.
But so far, things haven’t quite clicked for him at the top level.
He suffered relegation twice with Fulham (one of which came after he arrived midway through the season), and only lasted four games at Bournemouth before being let go.
Still, Parker’s ability to build a united and defensively solid team was evident this season.
Under his leadership, Burnley conceded just 16 goals on their way to promotion.
Celebrating with a Popstar and a Promotion Party
Burnley didn’t just clinch promotion—they celebrated it in style.
To mark the achievement, the team brought in none other than Natasha Bedingfield, the pop icon behind the early-2000s hit “Unwritten”—a song that became their unofficial anthem this season.
Bedingfield joined the celebrations at Turf Moor, dancing and singing with the squad as they soaked in the joy of finishing second in the Championship.
What’s Next for Burnley?
With a summer rebuild underway and no room for nostalgia, Burnley are clearly focused on survival.
Parker and his backroom team are betting on a younger, hungrier squad that can handle the pace and pressure of Premier League life.
Whether that gamble pays off remains to be seen—but one thing’s for sure: this isn’t the same Burnley side that’s bounced up and down in recent years.
They’re building something new—and they’re doing it their way.