Jury Out On Vydra

Manager Sean Dyche feels Matej Vydra needs games under his belt before it can be decided whether he has a future at Burnley. Vydra move to Turf Moor from Derby County last summer but made only 13 Premier League appearances last season, starting just three games.

The 27-year-old scored one goal and his place in the side has been put under further pressure by the return of Jay Rodriguez to the club. It means that Dyche now has five strikers at his disposal and it seems likely that one or two might leave, either permanently or on loan.

Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood were the number one front pair last term but there are now more options available and Dyche confessed that he needs to see more of the Czech Republic forward before making any decisions. “We will wait and see. It is early pre-season yet.

It is the games that count for players like Vyds who has had bits and bobs and moments,” he said. “It is the games that are important and the more we see him in games the more we will know how ready they are, not just him but everyone.”

Nahki Wells, who spent last season on loan with Queens Park Rangers, is also under threat and the boss admits it is tough to strike a balance. “The facts are that we want that competition,” Dyche added. “We don’t want to overload and have too many players but we want a competitive element and make sure there is a real edge to it.”