Burnley FC boss on Ings January move rumours

Reports in the national press suggest Southampton are poised to move for the player, who they allowed to leave their academy.

Ings, with four goals in his last five Premier League games, is out of contract in the summer and free to discuss a move as of next month - although, if he joins a domestic club, Burnley would be entitled to a fee as he is under 24.

Dyche, having faced a similar scenario with Charlie Austin shortly after his arrival at Turf Moor, remains calm about the England Under 21 striker’s future: “We discuss with all our players and their agents, we’re very open, it’s an ongoing process.

“We’ve had it all before, it’s just the nature of your players doing well.

“It is what it is, it happens across the market, we just keep open communication with players and their agents.

“I’m no more concerned than I was two years ago when I came here and looked at the players I thought were very good and improving, it’s just part of the business.

“I can say at this moment he’s a Burnley player, he wants to be a Burnley player and that’s quite obvious from his goals.

“Who knows what the future will bring, it’s just the reality of the business.

“He’s enjoying what he’s doing and we’re enjoying having him here.”

Dyche is also in close contact with loan players Nathaniel Chalobah and Michael Keane’s clubs, with their temporary deals set to expire next month: “They are young, developing players, we keep in contact with their clubs and we have good lines of communication - they are ongoing situations.”

The former Watford boss takes charge of Burnley for the 100th time tonight at home to Newcastle United, hoping the next 100 will be similarly successful, after winning promotion in his first full season at the helm: “It’s like any journey, there’s been highs and lows, big question marks about me coming here, a good start, not so good run, then question marks about me even being here!

“Then the rest has, over time, diminished, because people get to know you and hopefully trust my honesty and the way I deliver for them.

“I’ve enjoyed it so far.

“You have to remember both, you can’t just get drunk on one,music was comes and goes, it’s just a balanced view, but I enjoy both challenges.”

Victory over the Magpies, which would be a third in four games, would take the Clarets to 14 points from as many games - the sort of ratio which would give Burnley a good chance of survival, but Dyche said: “There are no targets other than to compete every week. It’s not changed, we want to compete at this level and we’ve grown into that after a tough start.

“I never spin anything or try to play games with anyone, I’ve told you what I believe all season - I think we are developing and improving.

“I felt we were unfortunate not to get a win earlier, and equally I know more work needs to be done so I’m quite balanced as to where the team is at and where it can go to.

“But it’s nice to look at the table in a sense that you’re looking in better shape and it is tighter.

“But you take care of the next game, reevaluate and move on to the next one.”