BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche has once again refused to rule out a return for former Clarets midfielder Joey Barton.

Barton is currently out of favour at Rangers and could become a free agent if his contract at Ibrox is paid up.

And given his success at Turf Moor last season a return to East Lancashire could be a an option for Barton.

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Dyche told the Lancashire Telegraph last month when asked if he would take Barton back: “It’s nothing to do with me, he’s part of Rangers Football Club.”

And the Burnley boss reiterated his stance when he was a guest on BBC 5 Live's Monday Night Football show.

"I've been asked that (Barton returning) a lot and I'm not going to answer you," Dyche said. "Why should I? That's for another day."

And the Clarets boss again praised the 34-year-old during his time at Burnley.

"In my experience the reason for that was that I was very honest with him," Dyche added. "We had three hours at my house before he agreed to come up to us.

"He was honest with me and I was honest with him and I think he liked that. I'm not suggesting that anybody is not honest with him. I just found that was a good platform to build from.

"Some of the stuff I told him would be in place was in place and he got to the actual environment and probably thought you told me everything and it's actually happening right in front of my face.

"I was asked recently about what has gone on up there (at Rangers) and I said, 'look, I can only judge by what I felt, and that was absolutely top class.'

"The way he went about it, the way he was with the group. Very demanding still - when he has a question, he needs an answer.

"He was first class on the pitch by the way - people forget that. His conduct on the pitch: exemplary last season. I am telling you now, he was getting smashed all over the place.

"Sometimes it just fits: he fitted with us, we fitted with him."