We were never going to sell Keane - Dyche

The champions had a number of offers, up to £15m, rejected for the 23-year old during the transfer window.

Keane got his first taste of first team action with the Foxes four years ago, on loan from Manchester United, scoring three goals in 27 games.

But when City tried to bring Keane back to the King Power Stadium - with feted chief scout Steve Walsh a big fan - Burnley stood firm.

Dyche said: "It's important to keep all of your best players and he’s amongst a group of very good players here I think.

“It was simple, we were never going to sell him.

“That’s the good thing about being where we are at. We haven't got riches beyond compare to throw around but we are strong enough financially to not have to sell players.

“Their day will come. It’s the nature of this club, generally speaking it will sell players because it always historically has done. No matter how much money you have in the bank it will never be enough.

“The club will eventually have to sell players whenever that day comes, but the good news is we’re not under pressure to do that now and we probably won’t be for a while. If we decided to do it will be for business planning and player planning, not because we have to."

Dyche feels there is much more to come from Keane, who was an outside bet to be included in Sam Allardyce's first England squad, with Henry Winter advocating a call up: “He’s still developing for me. I was a centre half and I know that you learn the game.

“You don’t see many young centre halves playing at any level but particularly at ours, at the highest level.

“He’s getting older now but he was playing in the Premier League with us last time.

“He’s still learning and learning very well and developing well.

“We’ve got a good little group for that.

“Tarky is doing brilliant, I really like Tarky, it’s just that he’s got two other centre halves who are playing well."