James Tarkowski to Liverpool Loan Rumours 'Bizarre,' Says Sean Dyche

Burnley manager Sean Dyche has dismissed rumours linking defender James Tarkowski with a loan transfer to Liverpool this month and referred to the gossip as "bizarre" amid suggestions his star could leave.

Tarkowski has featured as arguably Burnley's best player this season, and FourFourTwo referred to the recent injuries suffered by Reds defenders Dejan Lovren, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip as factors in the alleged interest.

However, the Burnley boss said during a press conference on Thursday that the rumours were "news to me" and pointed to Tarkowski's performances as evidence of his desire to represent Burnley, via Sky Sports:

Dyche said:

"There are a lot of rumours out there and not much fact. The most amazing one is the Tarky one. That is just bizarre.

"It's that time of the season and everyone is looking for a snippet, but there is a lot of phantom stuff out there."

The Daily Mail's Dominic King didn't give much credence to the rumours associating Tarkowski with a winter move to Anfield, going so far as to suggest Liverpool may not make any signings in January:

Virgil van Dijk is currently Liverpool's only fully fit senior central defender after Lovren picked up a hamstring injury during their FA Cup third-round defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Midfielder Fabinho started at centre-back in that loss and was joined by 16-year-old Ki-Jana Hoever after Lovren was forced out of the fray. Gomez is recovering from a broken leg, and Matip has been out with a collarbone fracture.

Burnley haven't posed the same threat in defence this season as they did in the last, and the club is in a fight to avoid relegation, with only two points separating them from the bottom three.

On one hand, the club could be seen as easy prey for that reason, although it seems unlikely the Clarets would agree to let go of such a crucial part of their back line, particularly on temporary terms, per WhoScored.com:

Burnley would have nothing to gain and everything to lose if they did agree to loan Tarkowski, who could be returning to a team condemned to the Championship upon his return if he left now.

As well as blocking more shots than any other player in England's top flight, Tarkowski also averages more clearances per game (6.6) than any other at Burnley—a ratio topped by only five Premier League players.

Liverpool are an intimidating titan to take on in the transfer market at this stage of the season, but Dyche appeared resolute that Tarkowski will not be heading off for Anfield anytime soon.