Burnley boss Sean Dyche keeping options open in transfer market

The January window closes at 11 p.m. on February 1st, with the Clarets yet to add to their group, on the back of a disappointing summer window.

The new owners have been in place for three weeks now, but with coronavirus protocols, have not physically been able to get into the offices and meet people, with all communication over Zoom and phones.

Boss Sean Dyche updated us on the current situation: "No news at the moment re: transfers still, working with the new ownership, defining roles, defining the organisational point of view...very difficult with Covid and what's going on, as you can imagine.

"They've got to find out about roles and how the club and how it works, and that's difficult from a distance, via Zoom calls.

"So still working behind the scenes to see if and when anything can be done, at the moment nothing to put out there, just waiting on maybes, but that's often the case, I'm used to that."

Burnley's business has often been late in transfer windows, if at all of late, and Dyche expects he will have to be patient again: "It seems that is often the case, quiet at the beginning.

"People with the true depth of wealth often get on with things because a million here or there doesn't matter to them, they just get it done, and that's never been the case at Burnley and I don't see that changing.

"I think there's a time to reflect on purchasing a club and the balance of it, and that's been difficult, to fathom everything out and get it in line with their thinking.

"And alongside that, we don't have the resource I think to literally just make something happen by putting so big a figure on things, that it just gets to happen.

"So we're still working in the market and keeping our options open to where we think a possible situation could arise.

"It's likely more things start happening later in the window, but we'll see."

Dyche has had to get on with things with a squad, by his own admission, two or three short of what he would prefer, but, as his squad gets back to full fitness, he very much believes in the group he has at his disposal: "Even with a tough start, I said when we get everyone fit we look a lot more balanced.

"There's still a time for freshness, and we need that when we can. I thought we needed it at the end of the last window.

"That closed and we only made the one signing, and lost a couple of players at the end of the lockdown period, so I think there's an angle on freshness, as well as talent and people we think can find a way of moving us forward.

"But, when the team is fit, which we're nearly back to, I think there's some quality, it's a balanced group and one willing to work hard for the challenges ahead of us."

Burnley have been linked with young Derby County midfielder Jason Knight, as well as Huddersfield Town's Lewis O'Brien, while there was contact with Everton between Christmas and New Year as regards right back Jonjoe Kenny.

I also understand the club have sounded out Bournemouth as regards 29-year-old Norway international forward Josh King, who is out of contract in the summer and eager to return to his native North West.

Whether a deal for the former Blackburn man could be done remains to be seen, with his wages outweighing Burnley's top-earners.

And while there have been calls for Dyche to upgrade his strikeforce, who are currently struggling for goals, he feels a ready-made solution would likely be out of the club's range: "People have often said 'they need to go and get a goalscorer', but do you know how much they cost?

"So unless someone gives me that amount of money, trust me, we'll be working hard with the players we've got and believe in.

"If you look at our goalscorers, then you've seen the money we've spent on them, so we would have to have more than that because the market has gone up since then.

"Unless you have in-house development with players who are that type, then you have to go into the market, and that still costs a lot of money.

"That's the reality and facts of it, so we continue to work with the players I believe in, they're very good players, and to get 14 points from the last nine games, without scoring many goals, then it's fair to say the stats suggest there will be a period you score more goals.

"But you have to make it happen, not wait for it. Fast-track it, and we can only do that as a team, as a whole unit.

"We have to find goals wherever we can."