BURNLEY boss Brian Laws took his tally of January signings to six as he completed loan moves for David Nugent and Jack Cork on a busy final day of the transfer window.

The Clarets manager was finally able to agree a deal with Portsmouth to bring Nugent back to Turf Moor until the end of the season, while Chelsea’s England under 21 international Cork also joins on a temporary deal until May.

Striker Jay Rodriguez was allowed to switch to Championship club Barnsley on a month’s loan, while fourth-choice keeper Jonathan Lund joined League Two promotion challengers Rotherham in a similar deal.

Portsmouth’s financial crisis had complicated what should have been a simple loan extension for Nugent, who joined Burnley in August in a deal the Clarets had the option to prolong until the end of the season.

The striker was always keen to stay at Turf Moor but was unable to play in the weekend defeat to Chelsea as Pompey took their time to sanction the extension, with the Clarets understood to have been considering a move for Derby’s Rob Hulse had the deal fallen through.

But Nugent will now be available for Saturday’s home game against West Ham - as will 20-year-old utility man Cork, who can play in midfield or defence.

The duo have joined Frederic Nimani, Nicky Weaver, Leon Cort and Danny Fox as Laws’ six January signings.

Interestingly, the Clarets spent at least £3.3m in transfer fees, while former boss Owen Coyle made only loan and free signings at Bolton despite moving to the Reebok Stadium because of the lure of a bigger budget.

Cork is the son of former Wimbledon and Sheffield United striker Alan Cork and, although he is yet to feature for Chelsea’s first team, he believes he is now ready to play in the Premier League after more than 100 appearances during previous loan spells with Championship clubs Scunthorpe, Southampton, Watford and Coventry.

"I've learned a lot over the last three years with all the different teams I've been at and the different styles of football, so hopefully I can use that experience and try to push on now,” said Cork, who has two-and-a-half years left on his contract at Stamford Bridge but has not ruled out extending his stay at Burnley beyond the end of the season.

"I've played quite a lot of positions this year. I've played at right back, right-hand side of midfield and in the middle of midfield. I quite like it in the middle.

"I know a few of the boys here so hopefully it will be easy for me to settle in. I know Pato (Martin Paterson) from Scunthorpe.

“Hopefully if I do well here then everyone will be impressed with me, then maybe I stay here or maybe I go back to Chelsea.

”It's not decided yet so I just need to see how well I do here first and look at where to go after that.”

Laws missed out on signing Cork for Sheffield Wednesday when the youngster went to Southampton at the start of last season and said: "I have tracked him for quite a while. He's played a lot of games in the Championship and has been greatly admired for his football.

"It's an addition to the midfield where I feel we need to strengthen, having picked up a couple of little injuries and niggles.

"He's an England under 21 international and I spoke to Stuart Pearce about him and Stuart Gray (Burnley’s new first-team coach)has trained with him with England.

"He is very good on the ball, can deal with it in tight situations, doesn't give it away cheaply and he's a quality player.

"He has got good energy levels and he can pick a pass and we need that quality on the ball.

"Chelsea were delighted to do it because they feel he's ready now to play Premier League games.”

Rodriguez could make his Barnsley debut at Preston tonight after Laws felt he would benefit from a loan spell in the Championship, while stressing that the 20-year-old still remains in his long-term plans.

"He's got a fantastic future and I think he still has a part to play this season,” said the Clarets boss.

On the final day of the window, Burnley also dismissed reports linking Sunderland with Tyrone Mears - insisting there had been no contact between the two clubs.