SEAN Dyche has responded to suggestions that he was critical of big-spending Derby and Middlesbrough.

After the sale of Jason Shackell to Derby, Dyche observed that the Rams had taken their spending on transfers to “a whole new level” adding “likewise Middlesbrough”.

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The Burnley boss’ comments came in response to speculation that Boro were prepared to spend £12million on Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes. The north east club ultimately went on to instead sign David Nugent from Leicester City for £4m.

Ahead of Derby’s home game with Middlesbrough in midweek, Boro boss Aitor Karanka said: “We are spending money this season because we felt the moment was now to spend money.

“Others spent money when they were in the Premier League last season. The money in this division tends to be with the teams who were in the Premier League.

“For this reason, I can’t understand (Dyche’s) comments. We are signing players this season, but (Burnley) signed players last season and I think they are also signing them this season.”

Derby have spent more than £10million on new recruits this summer, while Boro have paid seven-figure sums to land Stewart Downing, Cristhian Stuani and David Nugent.

But the Burnley boss feels his observations about their Championship rivals’ spending power were taken out of context by Karanka.

“Someone sent me a link about what Aitor Karanka had said about what I said about them and Derby being a powerful club and some of the money that was going around,” he said.

“Aitor was right in his response because he actually said ‘Burnley have spent some money’.

“What I was alluding to, just to clear it up, some of the named players that have gone to those two clubs, I know what they earn so I can only therefore presume that the deals have gone very high.

“That doesn’t mean they factually have.

“There are lots of different ways that deals happen and lots of different ways that personal deals happen, and I’m never ever going to allude to what those deals are, but I just think they push the market.

“I also said the year before, when we were in the Premier League, the market had been pushed by the Ross McCormack deal (from Leeds to Fulham) “All I’ve been suggesting is that then pushes the market, and the more the market gets pushed the higher the prices go.

“I’m respectful of these people. Aitor did a fantastic job last year and is attempting to do it all again and obviously better this year to try to get in the Premier League; as is Paul Clement, a young manager at a very good football club.”