Keane not distracted by transfer talk

Michael Keane has not been distracted by talk of a multi-million pound move away from Turf Moor, according to Sean Dyche.
Michael KeaneMichael Keane
Michael Keane

The Clarets turned down offers up to £15m from champions Leicester City for the centre back over the summer.

And he has since gone on to score his first Premier League goal, and earn a debut call up to the senior England squad.

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Keane's form has attracted interest from the likes of Chelsea, who are reportedly plotting a £25m January move for the former Manchester United youngster.

But Dyche reiterates there is no need to sell Keane from a financial perspective, and the player - despite turning down a new deal in the summer - remains under contract until 2018.

Dyche said, as regards a contract: "It is what it is. It’s their choice, you can’t make anyone do what they do or don’t want to do, you can only offer them what they think is appropriate."

And asked whether the speculation was a distraction to Keane, he added: "It's up to him. I don’t see why it should, he’s been fine all summer and this season, in fact better fine and he's gone and got England recognition.

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"I don’t think he thinks too much about it and why should he? He’s a young player playing in the Premier League, he just gets on with it.

"I think Michael gets on with it in training, he looks after himself and he’s willing to learn. He just gets on and plays his football."

With the Premier League windfall, Burnley are in a strong position financially: "We're fortunate in that we don't have to sell, the good side of us being careful is that we're in a very healthy financial position.

"Whatever the price, we don't have to sell."

However, sometimes players reach a point when it is difficult to deny them furthering their careers, as Dyche accepts: "It’s a reality of this club, eventually, usually due to finance, they outgrow the system, it’s the reality of being Burnley manager and it’s tough."

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In the current market, Keane would command a fee potentially up to four times Burnley's record sale, the £7m Southampton paid for Jay Rodriguez.

Dyche said: "I don't want to comment on other people's valuations, because we have our own, but the market has changed everyone's valuations.

"I'm amazed myself in one year, two definitely...we paid £6m for Andre Gray, but that now looks really, really cheap.

"Tarky hasn't played, but that looks really cheap for a young, improving centre half.

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"I'm surprised how much power the new TV deal brought with it.

"You get around £100m minimum, but then if you add the super power money behind that, if you have a billionaire, it's easier for them to put more in.

"I'm stunned by some of the numbers.

"There is no actual valuation any more, it's just shifting sands of the market.

"It's like shares, there can be a massive difference.

"Eddie paid £15m for Jordon Ibe, so what's the next winger worth?

"There's been a precedent.

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"If you can get the money, people will say, 'they got that much', so you'll have to give us this much.

"John Stones moved for short of £50m, everyone else will say Michael Keane is now worth whatever you want to write.

"I can't define an actual price on any one of my players because I've never witnessed anything like it in my life.

"It's changing every window."