Dyche not willing to over-spend

06 November 2014 04:16

Burnley boss Sean Dyche will not risk the club's future by embarking on a lavish spending spree in January despite their lowly position.

The Clarets are bottom of the Premier League with four points from 10 games and still without a win this season, with their last match a 3-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Dyche said splashing out £30million on new signings in the transfer window would "probably ruin the club" because of the pressure that would put on the wage bill, and insists he is unconcerned by the spectre of unwanted records, not least the 11 points Derby only managed to secure in the entire 2007-8 season.

The Burnley manager said: "I spent half-an-hour with Arsene Wenger and Steve Bould after the match last week and he had a wry smile when I told him our wage bill compared to his own.

"If we had £30million to spend it would probably ruin the club because you have to find the wages to support that level of signings. In my view I am not only a manager but I am also a custodian of a club that has been here since 1882.

"Players at the top end of the Championship are now earning unbelievable money and as soon as you go into the Premier League clubs are asking astronomical fees - you are not talking about adding a million or two but an extra £10million."

Burnley's most recent accounts showed their 2012-13 wage bill was £15.4million, by far the lowest in the top flight. Arsenal's most recent accounts show their wage bill is more than 10 times that figure, £166.4million while top payers Manchester City's was £233.1million.

Burnley's next attempt to find that elusive win comes on Saturday when Hull visit Turf Moor and Dyche said Tigers boss Steve Bruce had told him it is becoming ever more difficult for Championship clubs to bridge the gap in the top flight. The three promoted clubs are currently propping up the bottom of the table.

Dyche added: "Many managers I've spoken to including Steve Bruce believe it's getting harder for teams promoted from the Championship. They tell me the gap is getting wider and look at what even teams like Hull have spent recently."

Burnley do at least have one positive piece of injury news with Steven Reid is expected to be fit for Saturday.

Source: PA