DYCHE ’SURPRISE’ AT TAKEOVER SNUB

Clarets boss unhappy as he’s left out loop during £200m buy-out talks...

SEAN DYCHE has hit out at being kept in the dark over Burnley’s takeover talks.

The Turf Moor boss has revealed his “surprise” at being left on the outside, while American investors ALK Capital are said to be closing in on a £200million buyout of the Clarets.

Dyche still has no idea if he’ ll have £ 1m, £ 50m or nothing at all to spend when the January window opens – with or without new owners at the helm.

And, as the Clarets prepare to face Wolves tomorrow, Dyche is disappointed he has been sidelined in discussions.

He said: “I don’t know any more than I’m told, which is very little and a surprise.

“I have been here eight years, I thought I might have a little bit more knowledge.

“So I really don’t know. I’m just reading between the lines until I’m put in the loop with things.

“People, who have been in the game and management a lot longer than me, say it’s odd that I don’t know what’s going on, but that’s the way it is.

“I have no clue because I don’t know the owners, I’ve only read what’s been written.

“It’s a strange situation, but that’s all I know, so until you get to sit down with people if there is a takeover, we’ll just watch this space.”

Talks have been ongoing between Burnley’s majority shareholder Mike Garlick and Alan Pace, managing director of sports investment group ALK and former president of MLS club Real Salt Lake.

A rival bid team have also been in talks, but it is believed the US bid has more traction.

The process has left Dyche unsure of his January budget – or even if there is one without new owners.

“We are working diligently on possible transfer situations if they arise,” said Dyche.

“But if you look at our spending in the summer, I don’t think there’s going to be a fortune available if there isn’t a takeover done in time.

“There wasn’t a fortune to spend in the summer, so I

GUESSWORK Dyche says he is ‘reading between lines’ on takeover don’t see why that would change.” Dyche’s stars have kept two clean sheets and picked up four points with a win at Arsenal and a draw at Villa in their last two games.

And, despite clearly wanting reinforcements,

Dyche is happy to focus on the talent he has rather than worrying about the transfer window. He added: “I can’t control when the chairman decides to sell the club.

“I look at things I can attempt to control, which is the players, my staff and the messages that we send out.

“I’ve never really had much to spend, I’ve just worked with the players we’ve got and that’s my focus.

“I’m proud of them, they’re working very hard to turn things round and you’ve seen that in the last few games with results and clean sheets and the belief that comes with that.

“So I’m not going to question them, but even if we have an ownership change and money becomes available, it still has to be spent on the right people. You don’t just bring players in for the sake of it.

“We’ve seen Aston Villa spend something like £200m in the last two or three transfer windows, but we’re not going to have that, no matter who comes in.

“When you are talking about money, it’s been an interesting eight years here trying to get some in the pot.”

‘We’re working

diligently on possible transfer situations if they arise’