"He (Tarkowski) is an important player to us, he's a very good player," Dyche said ahead of Burnley's Premier League visit to Newcastle on Saturday.

"He's a player who continues to develop and unless I'm told different by the powers that be at the club he will be here.

"He's certainly not part of that group that we think is going to leave."

On possible arrivals – Liverpool's Wales winger Harry Wilson continues to be linked with the Clarets – Dyche said there was "nothing imminent" before Monday's deadline.

Burnley remain pointless after losing their opening league games to Leicester and Southampton.

But Tarkowski and Ashley Barnes have boosted them in playing their first games of the season in Wednesday's Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City.

Tarkowski was troubled by a toe injury and striker Barnes had not featured since New Year's Day following a hernia operation.

"It's been a really hard road back," Dyche said of Barnes' rehabilitation. "But he's listened to us and we gave him a plan of attack when he got right to the end.

"He was chomping and wanted to be back quicker than anyone was thinking. We had to slow that down.

"We gave him a programme and said: 'Look, you'll be ready for this game,' which was the other night. I thought he did really well."

Burnley – 10th last season – find themselves in the bottom three heading into the final game before the international break.

But Dyche believes his side have played a lot better than their results have suggested.

He said: "We had a very similar situation after lockdown, including the complication of losing players I didn't want to lose. But the mentality of the players was steadfast.

"I don't think we're far off and we should definitely have got something against Southampton."

Burnley's trip to Tyneside means a quick reunion with Jeff Hendrick, the Republic of Ireland midfielder who made 139 appearances for the Clarets before joining Newcastle as a free agent in August.

"It was a situation I felt could have been avoided," Dyche said of Hendrick's departure after the former club-record signing failed to agree new terms at Turf Moor.

"But that's the way it goes, I am used to managing situations here.

"He's a good player and was a fantastic professional here. He had question marks from fans, but sometimes that was unfair because we played him in all different positions."