SEAN Dyche felt it was a decision of 'fairness' to offer James Tarkowski a new contract at Turf Moor.

The Clarets centre back had 18 months remaining on his existing deal, with the option of a further year in the club's favour.

But his fine performances this season have seen the 25-year-old sign a new four-and-a-half-year deal at the club, and Dyche said it was a reward for his displays and also because his previous deal was 'out of sync'.

"I mentioned recently we have a good collection of players, ones we enjoy working with, and they are under good contracts. Tarky was, but we felt it appropriate," the Clarets chief said of Tarkowski's new deal.

"There’s another couple we are talking to already. We try to work on a level of fairness and making sure players are on appropriate contracts at the right time. Tarky fits into that really."

Tarkowski was still on the same contract he penned when Burnley signed him from Brentford for £3.5million in the January 2016 transfer window.

Since Michael Keane's departure for Everton last summer he has emerged as one of the first-choice centre backs alongside Ben Mee, and Dyche felt it was fair to reward him for that.

"His contract was slightly behind the curve at the club because he had come out of Brentford so we felt it was appropriate on two levels," he said.

"One he’s worked well and well in the Premier League and continues to show that. And two because it was out of sync and when players are out of sync we feel it is appropriate to have them all in similar band.

"We feel that works well with us for the mentality of the squad and we know roughly where they are."