BOSS Steve Cotterill was today no closer to bolstering his squad as Burnley prepare to fly back to face Brighton next Tuesday night.

The Clarets arrive back from Tenerife tomorrow to embed themselves in a southern base ahead of the return to Championship action against Albion, who have won just one of their last five league games to remain rooted in relegation trouble.

Cotterill has been desperately trying to put the disappointment of losing star striker Ade Akinbiyi behind him to swoop before the end of the transfer window in just three days time.

But with time running out and clubs aware that Burnley have over £1m to spend, any targets are proving hard to pin down as Burnley look to spend their precious kitty wisely.

And with loan deals remaining a lifeline after the January 31 deadline, there remains a strong possibility that Cotterill will have no new faces to add to the squad by Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Graham Branch insisted the trip to southern Europe was just the tonic the players need as they look to end a six-game winless streak at the Withdean Stadium.

Five days of warm weather training has given the squad time to regroup in the wake of Akinbiyi's club-record £1.75m transfer to Sheffield United.

Branch, the club's longest serving player, said: "All the rumours and speculation can be suffocating and it's sometimes good to get away from all that.

"All the lads were bitterly disappointed not to have Ade on the trip, but this is not just some jolly to give everyone a break.

"Every day we are training hard and it's only that we are getting a plane to another country. Other than that, our preparation is no different.

"It's obviously deep winter back in Burnley and this is somewhere we can relax and recharge the batteries in a better climate before coming back stronger for a final push to try to get into the top six. Hopefully it will work well."