Dyche happy with squad as loan window closes

The final Football League window looks set to pass quietly at Turf Moor, with no further signings then permitted until the summer.

FIFA gave the league one more year’s grace after trying to ban it last season, saying the loan window “affects the sporting integrity of the competitions”, so loans will only be allowed in the summer and January windows going forward.

Dyche brought in winger Lloyd Dyer as a free agent last month, after leaving Watford, while Ashley Barnes is close to being available for selection after recovering from cruciate and medial knee ligament damage.

And Dyche, asked if there might be more additions, said: “We’re not planning to, no.

“There’s a couple of maybes, but I don’t think they’ll come to fruition.

“We like the squad we’ve got. Lloyd Dyer has been ever so patient, and we’ve got him to come into the group yet, and we’ve got Barnesy getting fit again and getting closer and closer, so we like the group we work with.”

Burnley go into the international break top of the table, four points clear of next opponents Brighton, and Dyche insists he and his players aren’t feeling any pressure with eight games remaining: “I don’t think there is a lot of pressure on us, there’s pressure on clubs who have spent a kajillion quid trying at it.

“We had quite q few quid in the bank last time I looked!

“It’s a different kind of pressure we put on ourselves, we want to do well for ourselves, the club, the fans, but other clubs have all sorts of pressure, £50m in debt and all that, so it’s different for us, apart from our internal pressure and belief in what we do.

“We’re realists, we don’t expect teams to roll over here, we turned it round at Fulham, didn’t play well at Bolton and won 2-1, not quite right against Blackburn and won 1-0, I don’t forget them, I know the overall picture.”

And he is delighted with striker Sam Vokes, who scored his 14th goal of the season on Saturday against former club Wolves – his 10th in 14 games: “He’s working very hard for the team, he’s working a slightly different role, working from deep and getting into the box, and he’s taking his chance.

“He’s in fine form, really top class, and him and Andre (Gray) between them cause teams no end of trouble.

“Andre was quieter and Vokesy was strong, and it’s hard for strikers to play constantly well all season, but he’s showing really strong signs of being right at the top of his game.

“I mentioned early season when everyone was talking about Andre, Vokesy was playing really well and I said the goals would come, and they have. I’m pleased for him and for us.

“The pair have very strong stats and we’re always in a game, that’s for sure, no matter what happens, we can score goals, whether we’re in front, whether we’re chasing a game, we’re really strong and enjoying that mental and physical strength, the organisation and good play, and potent play – the top scorers in the division.”