BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent is confident that his hands will not be tied in the transfer market by FIFA's imposition of a transfer window.

Today is scheduled to be the last day before January 1 that clubs will be permitted to add to their squad but the Burnley boss claimed: "I'm sure that won't apply to the Football League.

"As I understand it we won't be able to sell any players to the Premiership and we won't be able t buy from them.

"However we will be able to loan players from the Premiership for three months to a full season and all transfers between clubs in the Football League will carry on as usual.

"The League is still waiting for a reply from FIFA but everyone seems to be confident that the window will not be shut."

Ternent is of course already restricted by the financial situation at Turf Moor but an ability to wheel and deal could be vital in the weeks and months ahead.

But even if the transfer window is left ajar, it is likely that all managers in the Football League will be forced to work with a number of restrictions.

Among the possible compromises that FIFA could be willing to accept are limits on the number of players that can be signed outside the windows.

But once again that could create another grey area as it would need to be agreed as to whether loan deals would count towards any quota.

A further area of doubt would surround the future for the hundreds of footballers who find themselves out of contract having been released by clubs over the summer.

It remains the belief of the Football League representatives that denying them the chance to continue their career would be a restraint of trade and therefore at best unfair and at worst unlawful.

Only a week ago Ternent went back to Lennie Johnrose and signed him on a short term deal having let him go several months earlier and clubs argue that in the current circumstances they need that degree of flexibility.

Football League spokesman John Nagle admitted: "We are expecting to be hearing from FIFA at the start of next week but we had thought that we would know the situation by today."