Clarets can't perform miracles in January transfer window, says boss Sean Dyche

Sean Dyche confirmed that technical director Mike Rigg is working hard to align the right situations for the club in next month's transfer window.
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However, the Burnley boss reiterated that the former Head of Talent Identification at the Football Association isn't able to turn water into wine.

The Clarets have built a portfolio of targets over time, but the club won't break from their scrupulous purpose-built structure.

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"The club are only ever going to spend so much money," said Dyche. "I could ask Santa for a list as long as my body of players, it’s highly unlikely I’ll get too many of them.

James Tarkowski and Peter Crouch were both signed by Burnley boss Sean Dyche during the winter transfer windowJames Tarkowski and Peter Crouch were both signed by Burnley boss Sean Dyche during the winter transfer window
James Tarkowski and Peter Crouch were both signed by Burnley boss Sean Dyche during the winter transfer window

"It’s not me having a go, it’s just the reality. If you look at our windows previously in January I don’t think you’re going to find there is massive amounts of activity and certainly not for massive fees.

"The market’s shifted massively over the last couple of seasons. Deals are not deals any more, there aren’t many where you nick a player like we did with Pope and Johann with a couple of million quid here and there.

"It’s not like that anymore. I could ring about a Conference player and they could say they want £3 million quid.

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"It needs financial backing, you can line up all the players you want but finance always comes into it.

"He [Mike Rigg] is working hard to align the right situations for us. It's good, but he can't make wine out of water."

Burnley's record of mid-season signings is a positive one. While the numbers have been relatively low, historically, under Dyche, the quality of additions have certainly made their mark.

Ashley Barnes, Michael Keane, James Tarkowski, Robbie Brady, Ashley Westwood, Joey Barton, Aaron Lennon and Peter Crouch are the names that stand out.

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January activity plummeted across the Premier League last term, falling from £430m in 2018 to £180m.

Nearly a third of that total expenditure as accounted for by Chelsea's capture of Christian Pulisic, who scored a hat-trick against the Clarets in October.

Virgil Van Dijk and Aymeric Laporte had made big-money moves during the previous mid-term window, joining Liverpool and Manchester City for £75m and £50m respectively.

"It’s harder to align situations and harder to get them over the line in general," said Dyche. "Whether that’s club to club, player to club. It is a difficult process.

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"If you’ve got crazy money like some clubs have then that makes it easier, you just pay a bit more and it gets deals done."

He added: "Everyone’s got something to play for whether you are top of the league, middle of the league, bottom of the league.

"You’re all vying to make a change if that change is available. It’s tough. One of our markets historically has been the Championship but you might have Championship clubs who are trying to get in the Premier League and all that stuff. It’s changed."