Burnley transfer rumours: Newcastle United reportedly join Burnley in striker hunt, Aston Villa swoop for West Ham player ‘in doubt’

The Clarets are desperate for fresh faces to galvanise the squad, who are in a perilous position with 21 games to play, two points adrift of safety, with a game in hand over 17th place Watford, whose next two games are against Newcastle and the Clarets.

The squad are currently without talisman Maxwel Cornet, who is at the African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast, having netted six goals in 10 Premier League appearances.

Ashley Barnes and Connor Roberts are on their way back to full fitness, while there are a number of Covid issues within the squad.

Bringing in more bodies could be the difference between survival or a return to the Championship, and chairman Alan Pace has said: “If we see something that we collectively feel is needed and wanted, we’re there”.

But boss Sean Dyche anticipates a tough window, as he said last week: “The rules are it has to align, the rules are there has to be finance, there has to be the right player, there has to be the right moment.

“It doesn’t change the rules whether you think it is a necessity or not, you know, the market is the market, I’ve been here long enough to know that.

“The only way you can change the rules is if you put a lot of money in, and I mean a lot of money.

“If you look at some of the super power teams, they can’t always get deals done in January because the money is so high, so we’ll see.”

However, Woan, who took charge of the side in the absence of Dyche, who tested positive for Covid last Tuesday, said: “I think every coach and manager, if you ask the question ‘would you like to add to the squad in January?’ they would say yes.

“We are no different, our recruitment team and ownership are working hard to do that.

“Obviously we want to strengthen.”