SEAN Dyche says his recruitment drive has been non-stop, but he admits there is unlikely to be much movement in the transfer market until pre-season approaches.

The Clarets had already begun re-shaping their squad this time last year, with goalkeeper Tom Heaton becoming Dyche’s first permanent signing at Turf Moor last May, as the club overhauled its goalkeeping department following the departures of Lee Grant and long-serving stopper Brian Jensen.

But while Burnley have benefited from the early guarantee of Premier League football next season through automatic promotion, as opposed to the uncertainty of the play-offs five years ago, boss Dyche is not anticipating early transfer activity.

However, he has assured supporters that the process of earmarking targets is a daily work in progress as he bids to bolster his squad for the top flight.

“It’s fair to say we’ve made loads and loads of phone calls as we have been doing during the course of the season, looking at player trading and possibly getting quality into the building because we know we’re going to need that to firm up the squad moving forwards,” said the 42-year-old, who has been linked with a move for Watford striker Troy Deeney, who he worked with at Vicarage Road.

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“Nothing’s changed in my feelings on player trading in that it’s not just about us, all parties have to agree – agents, players, the opposition club, ourselves having the financial prowess to get deals over the line.

“It can come in many ways. Some, possibly, could happen immediately, but it’s unusual if you look across the market, most deals take a longer period of time because everyone’s vying for the best position – the selling club, the buying club, the agent, the player. They’re all seeing what’s out there, so usually it happens in the latter part of the close season before pre-season.

“But the number of phonecalls is incredible already to make sure we’re in the hat for the right ones.

“If the right player aligns and the club want to do a deal then we’ll be ready, that’s for sure.”