CHRIS Waddle is closing in on a striker before the big kick-off against Watford on Saturday.

And he may add another player before Burnley begin their Second Division campaign.

Bolton Wanderers' Mick Paatelainen, 30, who held talks with Plymouth Argyle before being linked with Burnley last week, is expected to make a decision on his future in the next couple of days - fuelling speculation he may be Turf Moor-bound.

But any hope of reclaiming John Mullin from Sunderland appears to be dead.

"There may be two players in before the season kicks off," said Waddle, who wants to see a capping system introduced so that clubs like Burnley can compete in the transfer market.

The Clarets manager made his remarks following the 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester City, who unveiled £3m signing Lee Bradbury, scorer of City's opening two goals.

But he knows he cannot come close to paying out that kind of fee for one player.

"The transfer market has gone absolutely berserk - for £3m I could buy an entire team," said Waddle.

"I try to take in all games but it's pointless for me going to watch, say, Manchester United play Tottenham.

"I think there should be a capping system. But the reality is that we still wouldn't be able to afford the cap.

"Appearances and age should be taken into account, something like £10m maximum for a player in the Premier League, £3m for the First Division and £400,000 to £500,000 for the Second.

"This would help clubs like ourselves.

"I haven't consulted other managers about it yet but it might be something for people in the game to think about before it's too late."

It was the late start that Burnley made on Saturday that, according to Waddle, contributed to the reverse against City.

Ex-serviceman Bradbury struck in the second minute and again five minutes later. Inside quarter of an hour Burnley were three goals down.

"Kick-off was three o'clock but I think most of our lads thought it was half past three!" said Waddle.

"But after that we came into it. We had chances and they had chances. "It would have been nice if Andy Cooke's penalty right at the end had gone in and then we could have said that we at least won the second half 1-0.

"But we've got this performance out of the way. And that's much better than it coming on Saturday against Watford.

"That's the priority for us and I'm sure we'll compete better then."

City manager Frank Clark, buoyed by a pre-season in which his team have scored 21 goals in eight games, offered some consolation to Waddle.

"If I was a betting man - which I'm not - I would wager on Burnley getting promoted," he said.

Meanwhile, defender Peter Swan, who arrived from Plymouth two seasons ago, is expected to complete a move to Bury this week.

"Peter Swan has done okay in pre-season and I don't want to mess him around," said Waddle.

"It would obviously be best for him if he's at a new club before the start of the season."

Striker Paul Barnes came through 45 minutes of action on Saturday against City without suffering any reaction to a slight calf strain.

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