BURNLEY manager Owen Coyle is predicting plenty of transfer activity as he bids to make the squad his own.

The Clarets boss has already made a list of players he plans to target once the transfer window re-opens on July 1.

Despite bids tabled in the New Year, including approaches for former Sheffield Wednesday wide man Glenn Whelan, ex-Dundee United midfielder Barry Robson and Celtic striker Derek Riordan, Coyle has not yet spent a penny since taking charge in November.

Whelan and Robson moved to Stoke City and Celtic respectively after higher offers were made.

But Burnley's decision not to dip unnecessarily into the transfer kitty during January is one Coyle has defended, in readiness for what he predicts will be a "hectic summer".

"I've had targets in mind since I came in from day one.

"We tried to get them in January but they were either unavailable or they were outside our financial possibilities," he said.

"It's fair to say we've been scouring worldwide, and we do have targets in mind.

"We'll try to move those on. Whether they come to fruition only time will tell, but we'll leave no stone unturned to try to do that.

"We know exactly where we need to strengthen, and I really believe it's not one or two - I'm looking to bring a few players in to complement the already existing quality that we have, and we do have quality within the squad.

"So we know that if we can get the players in during the summer that we want to help the ones we've got we'll be a potent threat for anybody.

"I've read bits and pieces about how the board should have released this and released that in January.

"There was money available and we tried.

"We had numerous bids in for players, but the bottom line is if a player's value is £500,000 you're not going to pay a £1.5million for him because all you're doing then is putting your club deeper in trouble, and we've seen what happens at other clubs.

"They go and overspend and there's no recovery, and all of a sudden it's a downward spiral.

"I've mentioned before that if we put these building blocks into place and pieces of the jigsaw, whatever way you want to put it, you put it in place for the long term future of the club and improving that and developing that, then that's what we're trying to do.

"I've mentioned before, as much as there's got to be a sense of expectation, and we've raised that expectation by getting the results and keeping ourselves right in the play-off situation as late in the season as we have done, obviously it's got to be tempered with realism as well.

"The club lost over £4million last year, and the directors and the chairman put their own money in to cover those losses.

"But having said that, we know that within the structure we can put those building blocks into place and make us a better and a stronger team with a purpose of developing year by year, and that's what we're looking to do."

With reference to missing out on Whelan to Championship rivals Stoke, Coyle added: "We'd agreed a fee, but ultimately if Stoke can pay him double what we can pay then you're not going to get a player like that.

"And that's what I mean about the difference between expectation and realism - you've got to be realistic in that every player you target, you obviously can't get them all because you're going over your budget or the level of finance that's available to you at that time.

"But what you have to do is work diligently and make sure that your targets are within your budget, but equally that they're the right type of players to enhance and develop your football club.

"It's been a busy time just now because you're trying to set things in place so when the time to act upon it comes then you're ready for it.

"We're busy just now and it will be a hectic summer."

For now, Coyle is concentrating on getting the most out of the remaining four games, as Burnley go into tomorrow's home game against Sheffield United four points adrift from the final play-off position.

"With four weeks remaining, we're still at the top end of the league pushing on, and I want to, between now and the end of the season, accumulate as many points as we can and see where that takes us," said the Clarets boss, who will be without defenders Clarke Carlisle (suspended) and Stanislav Varga (foot injury), while both Alan Mahon and Mark Randall may need late fitness checks.

"We never made any claims from day one about what we'd do.

"What we said is that we'd look to improve it, and I think we have, and we'll look to take that on again in the summer again and keep developing it all the time.

"I wanted to raise expectation, and we've shown that when we do that, the backing of supporters is excellent.

"That's why they are top, top supporters.

"There will be disappointments along the way - that's guaranteed in football.

"The one thing you do is stay together as a group."