Burnley FC striker Paterson is going nowhere!

The 23-year-old, currently sidelined with a niggling thigh injury, can continually been linked with a switch to Championship rivals Derby County.

County chief Nigel Clough did try to take the former Stoke and Scunthorpe forward on loan earlier this season, but talk of a £1m move to Pride Park is wide of the mark.

Paterson remains a key figure for the club, according to Laws, who said: “I don’t know where the story originated from, other than lingering around from when we had an interest from Derby in taking him on loan, because he wasn’t in the side.

“But he got back in the side, and unfortunately he’s injured at the moment.

“Whether people are putting two and two together I don’t know, but I’ve had no conversation with Nigel Clough, and he’s a damn good friend of mine.

“If there was going to be anything like that, he would be talking to us.

“Newspapers are trying to fill space, and if it’s gone quiet, they’ll recycle something from the past and start guessing because the January window is coming up and they want to be the first to get them right, but this is a wrong one.”

The national newspaper report suggested “opportunities have been limited” for Paterson under Laws, but the Clarets boss is a big fan of the livewire Northern Ireland international.

He said: “When he’s been fit, he’s usually played, he signed a new deal in the summer, and we’re not in a position where we want to sell him. He’s certainly not going anywhere.

“We believe he’s going to be an important player for us, and we just want him fit – Derby won’t be getting that fit player.”

He is unlikely to be fit for Saturday’s trip to Cardiff City, however, having missed the last four and a half games.

Laws added: “It has been one of the most frustrating injuries I’ve seen for a long time, because there’s almost nothing there, but there’s something there.

“It’s disappointing because he’s been on the verge of just about being ready, and then he’s had a tiny little setback.

“We’ve got to get him 100% right, because if he’s not, it could be an issue that could resurface and keep him out for a long time.

“So each day we’re chipping away and believe he will be ready for Saturday, so does he, but whether this Saturday is too early...it may be the case.

“Hindsight’s a wonderful thing, and we have to be positive he’ll be ready for the next game.

“The one thing with Pato is he breathes, lives, eats, sleeps football, and he’s as frustrated as anybody.

“He just wants to be out there and smash the ball in the back of the net, that’s what he loves doing, so, we’re saying ‘hurry up!’”

While Paterson is a doubt, Chris Eagles and Danny Fox have given Laws better news on the injury front.

He said: “Chris Eagles has trained extremely well, and he’s very much in our plans for Cardiff. He’s looking very close.

“He’s trained with us over the last few days, so that is really good.

“Foxy has also been training with us, and we’ll test him again tomorrow to make sure he’s okay to travel.

“So that’s two key faces resurfacing, and that strengthens the team and the squad.”