DYCHE WARNS CLARETS TO SPLASH OUT OR STRUGGLE

SEAN DYCHE warned Burnley’s new owners keeping the club in the Premier League is only going to only get tougher on a shoestring budget.

The Clarets are seven points outside the drop zone after a season which has seen American investment company ALK Capital take over and Dyche’s paper-thin squad blighted by injuries.

This is Burnley’s fourth season in the top flight — and they head to Old Trafford with Dyche (above) confident chairman Alan Pace shares his concerns that the structure of the club has to change. He

said: “Previous to this new regime I’ve never had a budget — which is difficult because it’s hard to know what players you can sign when you don’t know how much you are going to have left.

“I’m hopeful that will change with the new owners. I get the feeling they are gathering all the information about the club and are balancing it out.

“There were lots of challenges off the pitch last season going into this, with the ownership change, lots of injuries and only spending £750,000 in the transfer market despite the club having huge sums in the bank.

“We played Newcastle last week and they brought on two players worth £35million and £25m, while we’re bringing on two kids.

“The owners now understand that we’ll be really stretched if we continue to work like that. Usually that means money.”

Dyche’s hopes for next season are dependent on him keeping Burnley safe. He is in his ninth year at Turf Moor and has just over 12 months left on his contract.

But his focus remains on the survival battle and added: “First things first, we have make sure we are in the Premier League again next season.

“I’ve made it clear to the chairman that my focus is on the team. But beyond that he has made it very clear he wants to speak to me about my future here.

“Staying up would represent a successful season because of the extenuating circumstances behind our season’s work so far.”