BURNLEY have released a staggering 14 first-team stars, including Everton-bound James Tarkowski.

The Clarets are set for a massive summer overhaul after axing more than a dozen first-team stars.

Burnley are still without a permanent manager – with Vincent Kompany heavily linked – and are preparing for a first-season in the Championship since 2015-16.

As the club prepares for life in the second tier, they have released a total of 28 players, with 14 stars also axed from the club's youth ranks.

Tarkowski – on the brink of a move to Frank Lampard's Everton – Ben Mee, Aaron Lennon, Erik Pieters, Dale Stephens and Phil Bardsley headline the list of released stars.

Joel Mumbongo, Richard Nartey, Anthony Glennon, Anthony Gomez Mancini, Ethen Vaughan, Sam Unwin, Harry Allen and Calen Gallagher-Allison are the other players previously on professional contracts to have been let go.

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Burnley also confirmed Jack Cork and Matej Vydra are currently in talks with the club over extending their contracts despite relegation.

And Ashley Barnes one-year contract extension option has been triggered, with the forward to remain until at least the summer of 2023.

The Clarets still have 24 players in their first-team squad for next season, even without signing any reinforcements.

However, the likes of Nick Pope, Maxwel Cornet and Dwight McNeil are expected to target moves back to the Premier League this summer.

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Burnley revealed in a statement they were forced into allowing Tarkowski to leave, with fellow centre-back Mee leaving after a decade and over 350 appearances.

The statement read: "James Tarkowski expressed his desire earlier in the season to seek an opportunity elsewhere when his contract expires, and he will also depart after more than 200 appearances for the Club.

"Defender Mee played more than 350 times for the Clarets over a ten-year period and his final appearance for the Club came in March against Leicester City.

"Winger Lennon re-joined the Clarets last August and made 31 appearances last season across all competitions and 87 appearances in total over his two spells in East Lancashire.

"Full-back Bardsley joined the Club from Stoke City in the summer of 2017 and went on to make 70 appearances for Burnley and has been an influential popular member of the dressing room throughout his time at Turf Moor.

"Like Bardsley, Pieters arrived from Stoke in July 2019 and appeared 65 times for the Clarets.

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"Stephens joined from Brighton in September 2020, but a number of injuries restricted the Bolton-born midfielder to just four Premier League starts.

"Discussions remain ongoing with Matej Vydra and Jack Cork, meanwhile the option on Ashley Barnes’ contract has been activated to keep the forward at the Club for a further season."

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