In one of the biggest transfers in the Greek Super League off-season, the Icelandic international and former Chelsea star signed a two-year deal with the club last week.

The big forward is set to link up with the Socceroo striker and hopes are high the move will be a success.

“He [Gudjohnsen] looked pretty sharp today and obviously he’s a world class finisher,” Burns told au.fourfourtwo.com from Slovenia.  

“He knows how to find the back of the net and we’d seen that today from the first session.

“This year I’ll probably find myself on the right wing if we play three up-front. So I’d just be playing off him on the right.

“So if all goes to plan that’ll be the system. But we’ll have to wait and see. The coach [Manolo Jiminez] is being very open about trying a few different systems and players.”

It was an intense day for AEK’s players who were put through a 9km morning run in a forest followed by two more training sessions throughout the remainder of the day.

AEK have been in Slovenia for almost ten days. They then head to Corfu next week for a friendly. Burns says the team is gelling well because it’s a squad that’s settled.

“At a team level we’ve got the same coach and very similar players to last season so we’ve got a pretty good structure from last season," he said.

"Hopefully we can continue on from a good year last year.”

AEK finished last season third in the league on 50 points behind second-placed Panathinaikos and eventual champions Olympiacos. However AEK thrashed Atromitos 3-0 in the Greek Cup final.

This season, they also have Europa League football to plan for as well as winning back their domestic league title.

“We’ve got a couple of good new players coming in. The squad’s actually looking very strong," added Burns, in his final year of a four-year contract with the club. 

“Every year they talk about winning the championship so every year we start off with a positive frame that we’re going to win the league.

“We’re a big team and every year we’re expected to challenge. It’d be great in my last year of my contract.

“And on a personal note I want to be a main factor in the team and obviously play 30-40 games.”

It’s unclear where Burns may end up after this season, but it’s known that the player admires the football in Germany and England.

He added: “I’m coming off contract at the end of the year so this is very important that I have a very good season here and hopefully only time will tell.”

As for international football, Burns conceded it’s tough when you go away with the national team stressing that in Europe most players must fight to regain their spots when they miss time with their clubs.

Five weeks with the national team last January at the Asian Cup might have been a highlight for the former Young Socceroo and AIS striker, but he had to battle back to earn his place in the AEK starting XI.

The Blayney-born forward played regularly till his Socceroo call-up, making 17 appearances in total last season – the most in a season for AEK since leaving Adelaide United to join the Greeks in 2008.

“He [Jiminez] must have confidence in me and hopefully I can deliver. He’s definitely one of the best coaches I’ve worked under,” Burns said of the Seville legend.

“I lost my spot after the Asian Cup and kind of just had to ride out the last games of the season and now start fresh again this season and try win my spot back again.

“Once you lose your position it’s very hard to get it back but I’m working very hard to get it back.”

And if all goes well Burns - who’s made seven appearances for the Socceroos, all outside of Australia - may yet be back in the green and gold as the start of World Cup qualifiers begin in September.

 “I’d love to play a national team home game in Australia. I’ve never done that,” he said.

“Hopefully if I get my club football right the coach will call me up but most important thing is pre-season and get in good shape and the rest will do the talking.”