BURNLEY have suffered more frustration in their attempts to bolster the ranks in midfield after seeing a third bid for Brighton’s Dale Stephens rejected.

The Clarets saw an offer of £4million turned down two weeks ago, and despite improving that they have once again been knocked back by the Seagulls.

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And they could now face competition for the 27-year-old midfielder with an unnamed Championship club joining the race and seeing a bid of their own rejected by Albion.

The Bolton-born man hasn’t featured for Brighton since their opening pre-season friendly of the summer against Crawley having picked up a knee injury in that fixture, but he could be in line for a return to action at Oxford tonight for Chris Hughton’s side.

Stephens scored seven times in 45 games last season as Brighton went within a whisker of securing promotion to the Premier League alongside the Clarets, but they missed out on second place to Middlesbrough on the final day of the season and were then thwarted by Sheffield Wednesday in the play-offs.

The former Bury youngster has just one year remaining on his contract at the Amex Stadium.

Sean Dyche has targeted midfield reinforcements this summer after seeing last season’s key man Joey Barton swap Turf Moor for Ibrox and a move to Scottish giants Rangers.

But Burnley have also seen three bids for Derby County’s Jeff Hendrick rejected.

Last week Dyche said he had given his list of targets to the board and was waiting on them to come up with deals for the players.

Speaking after Burnley had beaten Bradford City 4-1 on Saturday he added: “We’re still working, the chairman is hopefully working on a few things and we’ll see what develops from there.

“There are a number of things. We try to do our business privately, and discretely when we can.”

James Tarkowski had been linked with a loan move to Derby as part of the latest Hendrick bid, but after swatting aside the Bantams Dyche praised the former Brentford defender, as well as Kevin Long, who is a loan target for League One side Coventry City.

“Tarky is looking sharp and really fit, and Kevin Long as well,” said the Clarets chief. “Some people forget about him but he’s a player we really like here.

“He’s done very well on loan last year and is looking more accomplished, yet again another one who is learning as he goes, and there were good signs all over.”