JACK Cork’s future remains in limbo as he waits to hear whether he will be allowed to leave Chelsea this summer, with the midfielder still open to a return to Burnley.

Cork impressed while on loan at Turf Moor in the second half of the 2009/10 campaign and said at the end of the season that he would be prepared to rejoin the Clarets - even though they have now been relegated from the Premier League to the Championship.

The midfielder, who celebrated his 21st birthday on Friday, is ready to cut his ties with Chelsea in order to seek a permanent move elsewhere and had been hoping to discuss his future with Blues in the days following end of the season.

Cork still has two years to run on his contract at Stamford Bridge but it is understood that he has still not heard anything from Chelsea or their sporting director Frank Arnesen about whether he will be allowed to leave this summer - either permanently or on loan.

The former Southampton, Watford and Coventry loanee, who has also been linked with a move to newly promoted Blackpool, is keen to know where he will be playing during the 2010/11 season.

But any firm decision could be complicated further if Chelsea decide to keep Cork at the club for their pre-season games, with 10 of their first-team squad set to return to training late following World Cup duty.

And it remains to be seen whether that could scupper his hopes of a return to Burnley, with Clarets boss Brian Laws keen to have all new signings on board by the time his squad fly to Singapore for their pre-season tour on July 17.

Cork came through Chelsea’s youth system but, after several loan spells away from the club to gain experience, he is said to be resigned to the fact that he will be unable to break into the Blues’ first team - such is the fierce competition for places at Stamford Bridge.

Asked about his future at the end of the season, he said: “I want to see what the feedback is (at Chelsea).

“Maybe if Burnley come in for me in the summer I’ll have to really, really think about it.

“I know next year we’ll have a really strong team, especially if we keep a lot of the players. The financial situation is good and it’s a really good club.

“I can really see Burnley bouncing back.”