BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche said he would not be prepared to put the club at risk by demanding a big January transfer budget.

The Clarets are looking to strengthen their squad in the new year and reinforce their challenge at the top end of the table.

The board have said some funds for January signings have been set aside for Dyche, leftm who has yet to spend a penny on transfer fees in over 12 months in charge. They have also offered assurances that they have no wish to sell any of their top players in the next window - including top scorer Danny Ings, who is reported to have attracted interest from Liverpool and Celtic.

But Dyche stressed he would not wish to spend beyond the club’s means.

“As manager it’s not just managing the team, I’m a custodian of the club and I think it’s important. I wouldn’t want to put the club in any jeopardy by demanding this or that financially. I work with the board as I did at Watford to make sure we’re aligned,” said the Clarets chief.

“Would it (money) be helpful, yes. Do you have to have it, no you don’t, but it is very helpful. It’s just the modern game and how it works.

“I don’t think it’s a case of nothing at all but there isn’t going to be big figures or big signings. The club can’t do that.

“There’s a reality within what the game offers and that is finance helps - there’s no two ways about it - but it doesn’t solve everything, it doesn’t cure everything, it doesn’t make it all work. You only have to look down the division at some of the teams who are not going maybe as strongly as what the expectation was.

“They’ve got massive wage bills and very good players and it’s just galvanising that group, giving them the framework to work from in my opinion and I think we’ve done that well.

“There’s still a long way to go in our own expectations but it starts with delivering that every week. We’ve done that well.”

Of the impact the Financial Fair Play rule (FFP), which puts constraints on a club’s spending, will have Dyche said: “FFP could be interesting for some clubs.

“We’re already cutting the cloth accordingly, but we’re still looking to do things (signings).

“There’s no excuse within it, it’s just a reality of our club and what we financially want to achieve which is balance it and make sure it’s here for another 130 years. I think that’s right.

“It’s part of what it is, football meets reality.”