SEAN Dyche has confirmed Burnley will assess the loan deals of Patrick Bamford and Jon Flanagan in the January transfer window.

Bamford is on a season-long loan deal from Premier League leaders Chelsea while Flanagan is on a similar deal from Liverpool.

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But both have struggled to force their way into Dyche’s first-team plans at Turf Moor and this month’s transfer window offers the first opportunity for the loan deals to be assessed by all parties.

Striker Bamford has played just 34 minutes of Premier League football across six substitute appearances, while full-back Flanagan has managed 314 minutes in three starts and two substitute appearances.

Reports have suggested Chelsea could recall Bamford, with Middlesbrough interested in taking him on loan for the rest of the season. His last competitive goal in any colours came for Boro in April 2015 during a loan spell at the Riverside that saw him score 19 goals in 44 appearances.

Dyche said: “There’s good competition and it’s fair to say when he (Bamford) came in he was well aware we’ve got players who have done well historically here and continue to do so.

“I don’t think it’s anything other than trying to get a shirt in a team with what I consider some good centre forwards.

“We’re always monitoring our situations. Not just for Patrick but all of the players."

Flanagan has fared better for game time as he continues to try and get back to his best following an 18-month spell on the sidelines with a knee injury.

He has been absent from the matchday squad with a knee problem over the New Year weekend, but Dyche has confirmed that injury is not as bad as first feared.

“It takes time to come through injuries, we’ve seen that with Vokesy, he’s looking a different player now compared to six months after his injury,” Dyche said of the Liverpool loanee.

“We knew there’d be an adaptation period for Flanno. He knows about the players now and how we operate as a team, on the training pitch and I think that’s done him some good so he’s closer to where he wants to be.

“We’ll monitor his situation and him with us.”