SEAN Dyche has a tremendous part to play in the club’s future, according to Clarets chairman Alan Pace.

Dyche is moving into the final 12 months of his deal at Turf Moor and is among the favourites to take over at Crystal Palace after Roy Hodgson announced he was stepping down at Selhurst Park.

However, Pace, whose ALK Capital Investment Group took over ownership of the club at the end of 2020, says the 49-year-old is a key part of the club’s future thinking, and he expects Dyche to be Clarets boss for a number of years to come.

He said: "I've been very clear from day one we have a tremendous amount of respect, and I have a lot of personal respect for Sean and what he has done here. Seven out of his eight years here in the Premier League, with counting next year.

"He's hugely important, he has built that knowledge base within the coaching staff, the ability to bring a culture and deliver this club at a different level, there is no doubt about that.

"That consistency is very valuable. I certainly expect him to be here next year and beyond. Watch this space and we'll hopefully have lots to talk about for many years to come.

"He has good reason to be proud of what's here and on the back of him and the staff and the players that have created this.

"We are a beneficiary just like the community here and we would like to continue to participate in that going forward but he has a tremendous part to play in that."

Interest in Dyche has been high in recent seasons owing to the job he’s done with Burnley, and that comes as no surprise to Pace.

He told Sky Sports: "Just like any player, if you have a tremendous player, other teams would want that tremendous player on their team as well - so nothing about that would be surprising nor something that we would speculate either way.

"Good on him that people are interested, but that doesn't mean that we've declined our interest at all either."