Clarets boss Dyche relaxed over Barton talks

Barton is out of contract in the summer and held talks with Rangers at Murray Park on Saturday, with reports from Glasgow suggesting a two-year deal is on the table.

The 33-year-old explained after winning promotion back to the Premier League with Burnley that he has held talks with the Clarets, but was looking for at least a two-year contract, saying: "There’s a desire for me to be here, that hasn’t changed, but at 33, stroke 34, I don’t know whether I want to stay for a year, that’s the reality of it.

“We’ll sit down and negotiate, I’d like to stay here longer.

“At this stage of my career it’s not financial, there’s no financial angle for me, I just want a bit of stability.

“My eldest child is about to start school so I want to put some roots down somewhere.

“If Burnley want me here great, if not then I’m summising that there’ll be one or two options."

Dyche is happy for Barton to explore those options, and said: "It's up to him, I've said all along, he's a man, not a boy, his contract runs out this summer, he know our position on it and he's got his chance to look around and do what he needs to do,

"I've absolutely no problem with Joey, he's been terrific for me, terrific around the place, but he's a man and he's got his own future in his hands and he'll make a decision on that.

"He knows where we stand on it, we're not stupid, we do actually speak to these people.

"We'll give him as long as he needs. He took time to come to us last year, there were a couple of different things, maybes, and he wanted to make sure it was the right place and environment.

"He's got some deep thoughts on what he thinks is correct. I've worked with him, not against him, one of the first things people said was 'how are you going to handle him?'

"I said I'm not going to, he's a man, not a boy, I'm going to talk to him and he's been excellent for us.

"We've been open with our conversations with him, and his advisor, but he's still got his chance to look around and that's what players do nowadays.

"They're open minded to what's out there."

Rangers are back in the SPL after four years away, and Dyche added: "Fair play to Rangers, it shows the clout they have, because if they're talking to him, he's not cheap!

"It shows their intentions if they see it as viable, they must be backed well."