20 December 2020

Burnley boss Sean Dyche not expecting January transfer windfall

20 December 2020

Burnley manager Sean Dyche is not banking on being given a war chest in January even if a takeover of the club is completed.

The long-serving boss remains in the dark about a change in ownership despite continued speculation over the future of the Turf Moor outfit.

While the Clarets have put together a three-match unbeaten run of late, they remain in a relegation fight ahead of Monday’s meeting with Wolves.

Reinforcements in January would aid Dyche’s efforts to keep the club in the Premier League for a fifth consecutive season after they spent less than £1million this summer.

“Until you get to sit down with people, if there is a takeover at some point, I don’t really know (about funds for January), so we will watch this space and work diligently on possible situations if they arise,” the 49-year-old said.

“At the minute you’ve seen with our colossal spending amounts in the summer, I don’t think there will be a fortune available if there isn’t a takeover. I’d be surprised if there is. There wasn’t in the summer so I don’t see why that would change.”

He continued: “I’m very proud of the players here, they continue to work and are working very hard at the moment to turn things around and you’ve seen that with the way we have started to get results and clean sheets and the belief in doing that.

“I will certainly not question the group we have got. If there is an ownership change and if money becomes available, it still has to be spent on the right people.

“You don’t just bring people in for the sake of it. We still want to have the prowess of this club. We are sitting at Aston Villa, who have spent £200million in the last two or three windows,” he added, speaking after Thursday’s goalless draw at Villa Park.

“We will not have that prowess, no matter who comes in. I’d be amazed if that happens because it would change the whole view of the football club, but I don’t know.”

Talk of a takeover has been in the background for months and Dyche has already expressed his bemusement at the lack of information available to him.

Burnley released a statement in November insisting the “long-term sustainability” of the club was their top priority in any takeover deal, but with the year almost out there has been no further update.

Dyche added: “I don’t know any more than I’m told, which is very little and that is a surprise because I’ve been here eight years. I thought I might have a little bit more knowledge!

“At the end of the day, the business side of the club is for the business guys – the board and the chairman, so until it changes I will stay working with the team.

“I’ve always kept my focus with the team anyway and I’ve offered many opinions over my time on what is good for the club, but my focus never goes far away from the fact we need 11 players or the squad on any given day now to work well and effectively to be in the Premier League.

“My focus never loses from that, it is just there is a lot going on at the club which I have had to try and fathom out and make work.”

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