5 players that Burnley should target in the transfer window

Post-match against Ipswich Town, Sean Dyche started fielding questions regarding transfers into Burnley Football Club this January window.

Unsurprisingly, the 44-year-old was very coy with any dealings as his month-long game of transfer tennis with journalists begins.

The debate is; do you give a man who has already spent more money than any Burnley manager in history the funds to bolster his squad??

My answer is yes. Burnley are hanging onto, rather than cementing, a play-off position. Here are some players that Dyche could get in to join the current soiree at Turf Moor.

Alan Judge (Brentford)

Brentford star Judge is already in-demand in January.

Brentford must be sick of the sight of Burnley. A bid for James Tarkowski is already on the table with the Clarets also being linked with the Dubliner. Yes, Judge used to wear the blue and white of that lot down the road. Do I care? No.

He’s not a ‘premium brand’ player but that is what Dyche likes. He would add to the ‘group’ offering trickery, power and creativity coming from wide areas. The former Notts County man has scored ten league goals this season and should be a priority target.

You would surmise that Brentford will only let one of their prize assets go though, so any move for Tarkowski could put the brakes on a deal for Judge.

Alex Pritchard (Tottenham Hotspur)

The 22-year-old is the type of player Burnley are missing. The Clarets have scored just one goal against the top-six sides this season. A player with the dexterity of Pritchard could be the difference in unlocking the top defences in the division.

The England Under-21 international had a fantastic loan spell at our ‘feeder club’ Brentford last season, scoring 12 goals in 47 games from midfield.

Erhun Oztumer (Peterborough United)

An out-and-out winger, Dyche has seen this lad before, taking him on trial in 2014 as the Clarets were getting set for the Premier League.

An impressive 61 goals in 97 games for Dulwich Hamlet led to that trial at Burnley, and the Turk has a touch of the unknown about him. A player with non-league grounding usually settles in well at Turf Moor.

Tiny in stature, he’s been christened the ‘Turkish Messi’ by Peterborough United fans. The winger would add the creativity, guile and flair that is currently lacking from a very narrow Burnley side – and wouldn’t cost the earth.

Aiden McGeady (Everton)

McGeady gets away from Gael Clichy of Man City.

Sometimes it’s better to borrow than buy. The smart money would be on a loan move for McGeady, who is the type of winger that can win a game out of nothing and offers qualities completely different to any other player at the club.

Now this move isn’t as far-fetched as one would think. McGeady obviously has his eyes set on the Euros and Martin O’Neill has no issues with Championship players, just ask Stephen Ward. His wages could be a stumbling block, however if all parties could agree on a deal it could get off the ground.

Zach Clough (Bolton Wanderers)

He is only 20 years of age but his talent is undoubted. The striker has recently returned from injury for the Trotters, and with the club on the floor financially, if you can’t kick them when now – when can you kick them?

Lowball Bolton with a bid on the cheap, which is usually the Burnley way, and try pick off the prized asset of a club that need to sell and cannot hold out for a premium price.

His value can only continue to rise and you feel whatever money the Clarets lay out on Clough, they would recoup that and more down the line.