"I trust my players and I definitely trust him" - Sean Dyche on James Tarkowski's toe injury

And he is adamant he trusts his centre back, with speculation over his future fuelled by his continued absence from the side.

Tarkowski is yet to kick a ball for Burnley so far this season, sitting out the first four games of the campaign, and is rated as "touch and go" for Wednesday night's Carabao Cup last 16 tie with Manchester City.

While West Ham have had two offers for the England international turned down, and Leicester failed with a £30m bid last Friday, there are plenty of cynics prepared to put two and two together, as regards his injury.

But Dyche came out in defence of his lynchpin: "I trust my players, I definitely trust him, and he's had a sore toe, and that's the way it goes.

"He's a big fella and if he's got that weight pressing through a toe that's sore and injured, I'm more than happy to trust him with that opinion.

"He was out there today (Tuesday), we'll wait and see if it reacts tomorrow, before we make a decision, but I trust all my players, no player wants to be injured, I'm sure of that."

It remains to be seen at this stage of the window if Leicester, as has been speculated, decide to return with an improved offer for a player they also attempted to land last summer, with the Foxes still keen on St Etienne’s Wesley Fofana.

Dyche is determined to hold onto the player, especially with the Premier League and international transfer deadline on Monday, but he understands that every player has his price: "Any bids will go in to the chairman and the board, I obviously have a view, he's a very good player, we know that.

"He's a player I definitely want to be here, I've made that quite clear to the powers that be at this club, but on the other hand, there is a reality to every situation.

"Every player around the globe, there will be a reality where clubs make a decision.

"That will be something for the chairman and the board to decide, IF, a bid came in that was appropriate or considered appropriate.

"That would be down to them inevitably, but there's nothing other in my thoughts other than he'll be here."