Thursday 3 January 2019 21:49, UK
Sean Dyche admits the rising cost of players is making the transfer window "unforgiving" for Burnley.
The manager is keen to add to the club, who sit 16th in the Premier League, but says they must look to the Sky Bet Championship if they are to afford players within their price range.
Dyche is only too aware of the differences in spending power between themselves and the likes of Liverpool, who parted with £177m during the summer transfer window to Burnley's £18.5m.
"It's not like we are going to magic up £50m to go and sign who we want," Dyche said.
"I think predominantly the Championship is one of our markets.
"It's hard enough trying to get players out of the Championship for what I call 'real money', as in normal, sensible sort of money.
"So you try the Premier League, and as you can imagine, it's very, very difficult."
Dyche claims certain clubs are raising the price of players based on potential, as opposed to proven quality, and fears the figures will only keep rising.
"The market is very unforgiving. The numbers keep getting broken," he added.
"I think [James] Maddison was this year's one.
"I think anyone who is anyone never expected it to be anywhere near that [£24m]. Not that he isn't a fine player, because he is a fine player.
"Once one breaks the mould, and every club have got a player at least similar to that, they think 'if he's worth that, then he must be worth whatever.'
"It's a really, really tough market.
"The problem is that people will pay it... and then the next level you get to us, and how do we get a player?"
