Dyche to step up talks on new deal for striker

The striker scored in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Ipswich Town to complete his second best goal return since arriving at Turf Moor in the summer of 2008.

And after the Clarets turned down a loan deadline day bid from Wolves in March, Paterson has indicated he would be happy to stay with the club he fired to promotion in his first season, despite offers from elsewhere.

The Northern Ireland international has been troubled by injury in recent years but has enjoyed his best run of form this term, making 41 appearances for club and country and scoring nine goals in total – eight in the Championship to make him Burnley's second top scorer behind Charlie Austin.

“We’ve been talking with Pato,” said Burnley boss Sean Dyche.

“Every player has a different situation – they all have an individual situation.

“The chat we have with these players is ongoing and some work slightly quicker than others just because of the acceptance or the buy-in from all parties to make sure it gets over the line.

“He’s one that we have been talking to and we will be talking to.”

Burnley turned down an offer from Portsmouth in 2011, a year after Paterson had signed a new three-year contract to extend his stay to this summer.

He could now be set for his third Clarets deal.

However, it seems likely that Chris McCann will leave the club at the end of his ninth season at Turf Moor.

The Dubliner, who came through the club’s youth team ranks, is out of contract and has not yet had new terms tabled.

Following successful attempts to sign Ross Wallace and Dean Marney on new deals before the end of the season, it is expected that manager Dyche will look for alternative options in midfield, with former captain McCann moving on for the first time in his career after almost 270 appearances for the Clarets.

Another who looks to have played his last game for Burnley is fans’ player of the season Lee Grant, with the goalkeeper set to return to his first club, Derby County on a free transfer.