Burnley

Former Liverpool, Newcastle and England midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is set to complete a move to Burnley on a free transfer. (Football League World, external)

Want more EFL transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column.

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Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has been named the EFL's Championship manager of the month for December.

Leeds were unbeaten last month, with five wins and one draw from their six games, which saw them finish 2024 top of the table.

They also only conceded two goals in that run, while scoring 13.

It is the first time Farke has won the award this season.

Leeds have drawn their opening two games of January and host Harrogate Town in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes, Burnley's Scott Parker and Danny Rohl of Sheffield Wednesday were also nominated for the award.

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Queens Park Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes. Leeds United's Daniel Farke, Burnley's Scott Parker and Danny Rohl of Sheffield Wednesday are the four nominees for the Championship's manager of the month award for December.

Rangers started last month second from bottom of the Championship but took 11 points from six games to finish the year in 17th place, five points clear of the relegation zone.

Under Farke, Leeds went unbeaten through the month of December with five wins and one draw which left them top of the table at the end of 2024.

Burnley's amazing defensive record was once again to the fore last month as they conceded only three goals in their six unbeaten games, with three wins and three draws keeping Parker's side well in the race for automatic promotion.

Rohl has led Wednesday into the top half of the Championship and to the fringes of the play-off race.

The Owls came from behind to beat Derby and Oxford before recovering a 3-0 deficit at Middlesbrough to secure a 3-3 draw.

The winner of the award will be announced on Friday morning.

Image source, Rex Features

Burnley striker Andreas Hountondji has joined Belgian Pro League side Standard Liege on loan for the rest of the season.

The 22-year-old joined Burnley from French side Caen on a four-year deal last summer.

Since then he has made a total of 10 appearances for the Clarets, with his most recent coming in their goalless draw with Derby on 10 December.

"We all wish Andreas all the very best in Belgium," the club said of the Benin international in a statement.

Burnley striker Andreas Hountondji has agreed a six-month loan move to Belgian club Standard Liege, however the First Division A side are unable to meet the Claret's salary demands, though the 22-year-old is attracting attention elsewhere in Belgium and France. (Sacha Tavolieri - in French, external)

Blackburn Rovers host East Lancashire rivals Burnley on Saturday in one of three early kick-offs in the Championship (12:30 GMT).

Rovers have not won in four league games and have dropped out of the play-off places, but are level on points with sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion.

A win could see them move up to fifth but they will need to defeat a Burnley side that started the year with a goalless draw to stretch their unbeaten run to 12 league games.

• Blackburn Rovers have failed to win any of their past nine league meetings with Burnley (D4 L5), since a 1-0 away victory in the Premier League in March 2010.

• Burnley have won each of their last three away league games against Blackburn Rovers, with no team currently on a longer winning streak at Ewood Park as visitors.

• Three of Blackburn's last four Championship defeats have come at home, though they have not lost their opening home game of a calendar year since 2015 against Wolves, going nine unbeaten since (W4 D5) then.

• Burnley are unbeaten in each of their last six away league games (W4 D2), keeping five clean sheets in that period – the Clarets have conceded the fewest goals on the road in the Championship so far this term (5).

• Blackburn are winless in their last six league games against fellow Lancashire opposition (D4 L2), since beating Blackpool 1-0 in February 2023, while Burnley are unbeaten in their last 10 such games (W5 D5), since losing 2-0 to Preston in December 2015.

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Scott Parker has hinted that new signing Oliver Sonne could be in the reckoning for Saturday's East Lancashire derby against Blackburn Rovers.

Peru international Sonne, a 24-year-old right-back, joined the club this week from Danish club Silkeborg and Parker said it was not a case of investing in potential.

Sonne, who has won 10 caps for his country and has played in the European Conference League, is battling Connor Roberts for a starting berth at Ewood Park.

"He's someone the club have been tracking for a while, and we bring him into compete for a position in which we're probably a little bit light," Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"He has big quality and potential as well, but is still in the early stages of development in his game and I feel we can bring his game on.

"He's an attacking full-back, physically very, very good and he seems a very good boy and from watching him from afar and someone I am really looking forward to working with.

"You're signing a player from abroad rather than someone who has been in the division, so there's elements of seeing how he fits up to that, but we see a player here that adds to us instantly and will bring quality and affect us as a team."

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Scott Parker said Hannibal Mejbri's red card in the goalless draw with Stoke City was justified.

The Burnley boss told BBC Radio Lancashire he would talk to the player about his actions, after Mejbri appeared to stamp on Junior Tchamadeu following a challenge between the two players.

"I've got no real defence," said Parker. "This is a young player who has obviously crossed that line.

"We'll deal with that internally. Hannibal was actually devastated.

"I've been in the arena and sometimes in the heat of the moment emotions take force. He's crossed the line for us. He understands that and he will understand that in terms of going forward.

"Young players sometimes make mistakes and I'll address that with him."

Scott Read
BBC Radio Lancashire commentator

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What do Burnley need?

I think they'll be looking for some creative, flair players. Someone who might just be able to unlock a defence, whether that's through technical skill, pace or a combination of both. Adding another threat to the forward line will be a priority.

What sort of business are they likely to do?

It's a tricky one because they still have a big squad and they might want or need to move some players on in this window. That will impact what type of business they can do, whether it's loans or permanent deals.

How successful have they been in recent January windows?

Not very, but the club always says it's difficult for them to sign players in January. Sean Dyche always maintained this, and to some extent Vincent Kompany said the same thing.

However, I think the January window during Kompany's Championship-winning season was a big missed opportunity.

Any notable departures?

Mike Tresor is the most likely big name to leave. Burnley paid a substantial amount for the 25-year-old and even though he's fit and training with the squad, he's yet to feature this season.

How key is the window?

Automatic promotion will probably depend on it. They already look well set for a top-six finish but they may need a little more if they're to finish in the top two.

The final Championship fixture of the weekend features two promotion-chasing teams as Middlesbrough host Burnley on Sunday evening.

The sides drew 1-1 in an entertaining reverse tie at Turf Moor in early December but seventh-placed Boro have faltered a little since then, winning just once and letting slip a three-goal lead at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day.

By contrast, the Clarets are flying high in third place, a point behind table toppers Leeds United, after extending their unbeaten run to 10 matches with a clinical away win over second-placed Sheffield United.

• Middlesbrough are winless in six league games against Burnley (D3 L3) since winning 1-0 in December 2015 under Aitor Karanka.

• Burnley won 2-1 against Middlesbrough at the Riverside last time out in 2022-23 – they've never won consecutive away league games against them.

• Middlesbrough have won their final league game of the year in each of the past three years, winning 2-1 in every game – against Blackpool in 2021, Blackburn in 2022 and Huddersfield in 2023.

• Burnley lost their final league game of the year 3-2 against Aston Villa in 2023 but haven't done so in consecutive years since between 2005 and 2010 (six in a row).

• Burnley manager Scott Parker has one win in five Championship meetings with Middlesbrough (D3 L1), winning 1-0 win Fulham in January 2020. His five games against them have produced just four goals (2 for, 2 against).