Burnley manager Nicky Hayen has declared the hunt for attacking reinforcements a matter of urgency, admitting that the Clarets' inability to score goals is a problem that stretches back well beyond the current campaign.

Hayen speaks out on Burnley's firepower problem

Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire in the wake of a Carabao Cup penalty shootout defeat to Bradford City, a match in which Burnley failed to score across 90 minutes, Hayen was candid about the scale of the issue.

"It's a concern because we do enough to create chances and be in the box. We just have to be more clinical," the Belgian said. "It's not only this season but also last season that our goal threatening was not enough."

With just four goals registered in four competitive fixtures so far this term, the numbers back up Hayen's assessment. The Clarets have been capable of building pressure and manufacturing opportunities, but converting those moments into goals has proved elusive.

Window activity expected before the deadline

Hayen confirmed that recruitment work on the attacking front is already under way, though he stopped short of naming any specific targets. "We're busy with offensive players because the goal threatening has to be higher," he said. "We need more competition for each other in the team. Everyone sees that it is urgent now."

The phrasing "busy with offensive players" suggests talks are at an active stage rather than merely exploratory, though it would be premature to read that as any deal being close to completion. Supporters will be hoping for clarity before the transfer window shuts.

Context: a familiar start for Burnley back in the second tier

Hayen, who arrived at Turf Moor from Belgian club Genk in the summer after succeeding Scott Parker, is overseeing a side that has not won inside 90 minutes in 17 consecutive matches. For a club of Burnley's resources and recent history in the second tier, that sequence will demand a swift response.

Yet the manager has moved to temper anxiety among the fanbase by pointing to what he views as a predictable pattern. "If you see through the history of the club, always when we came back from the Premier League in the Championship we were struggling the first few weeks, then suddenly after one or two months we started," he said. "This is something that will happen again."

That is a reasonable point of reference. Burnley have made this particular journey before and ultimately flourished. However, history only provides so much comfort when results are not arriving, and Hayen is clearly aware that goodwill at Turf Moor requires tangible improvement sooner rather than later.

What Burnley need in the final days of the window

The picture that emerges is of a squad that is not short of effort or tactical discipline, but which lacks a reliable focal point in attack. Hayen's comments suggest he wants more than one addition up front, with competition for places the stated aim rather than a single marquee arrival.

Whether Burnley can conclude that business before the window closes remains to be seen. The manager's language, according to the report, points strongly to genuine dialogue with players or clubs rather than vague aspiration. Championship supporters who have followed Burnley's transfer activity closely will know that the club tend to act when Hayen identifies a need this publicly.

"The season has already started and not in the best way for us but we're really confident we can change things around," he added. The next few days in the market will go some way towards determining whether that confidence is justified.

Frequently asked

Why are Burnley looking to sign strikers in this transfer window?
Manager Nicky Hayen says Burnley have not been clinical enough in front of goal, with just four goals in four games this season. He wants more attacking options and competition for places before the window closes.
How many games have Burnley gone without winning in 90 minutes?
Burnley have not won inside 90 minutes in 17 consecutive matches, a run that stretches back through last season and into the current Championship campaign.
Who is Burnley's manager and when did he join?
Nicky Hayen, formerly of Belgian club Genk, took charge at Turf Moor in the summer after Scott Parker left following Burnley's relegation from the Premier League.