No signings imminent, but Burnley boss Sean Dyche wary of need to add to squad

Burnley boss Sean Dyche admits there are no imminent signings on the horizon at Turf Moor.
Sean DycheSean Dyche
Sean Dyche

The Premier League season opens on Saturday, although the Clarets have to wait for the following weekend for their first fixture at Leicester City, with a Carabao Cup tie at home to Sheffield United to come next week.

So far, the club have only been able to bring goalkeeper Will Norris in from Wolves, to bolster a unit that lost Joe Hart and Adam Legzdins at the end of June.

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But there have been no outfield signings, with Dyche eager to replace Jeff Hendrick and Aaron Lennon, who left at the end of their contracts.

The dealine is October 5th, with four Premier League games to be played before then, while there is then a domestic-only window, during which Premier League clubs can only trade with those in the EFL until October 16th.

Dyche said: "We're not close to anything at the moment, no, but that's often the case.

"It's very rare in the time I've been here, apart from cheaper deals, that we've done them a bit quicker.

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"The chairman and board spoke to me about the numbers they felt were needed over the coming 18 months, so they're aware of what's needed. It's how many we can push on.

"It's quite clear and evident that we need people in, we lost a few last season so we definitely need a few in.

"We're trying to affect that every window, it's rare we get business done early, so we're still waiting on the reality of the situations, the ones we feel where we have a chance."

People wondered whether the pandemic might slow down the market, but the elite clubs continue to spend eye-watering amounts of money, and Dyche added: "If you think back the last couple of years, the market doesn't really care what we think, it will make it's own mind up.

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"Currently, when you look at the figures going around, Sheffield United are still spending, Newcastle, Villa are attempting to again - there's money out there, because they're all putting it in.

"The super powers are spending, Chelsea the obvious ones - I appreciate there was a time when they couldn't, so maybe they have more of a thirst to work in the market.

"But the numbers still look pretty large to me.

"I think it's unlikely you're going to get bargain basement buys, nor should we be looking at that area, we've got to be looking at players who can at least challenge our group with immediate effect, and either mature into the side or go into it because they're very good players.

"That's the market we're attempting to look in, obviously the finances will give us parameters that can only go so far."

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