Burnley manager Sean Dyche has hinted that youngster Nathaniel Chalobah is struggling to adapt to the demands of Premier League football.
The 19-year-old joined the Clarets on loan from Chelsea in the summer, although he has yet to start a single game so far this campaign.
Having confirmed that there is no injury concern over the England Under-21s international, Dyche admitted that Chalobah must continue working hard on the training field in order to challenge for a place in the first team.
"He's a young player learning, earning his spurs and developing, and this is a tough league to do all those things in and do them every week," he told reporters. "Behind the scenes he's working hard and should he get his chance, he'll be ready to take it."
Asked if a return to Chelsea could be on the cards in January, Dyche added: "We'll wait and see. We'll stumble across that bridge when we have to."
Burnley take on Southampton at Turf Moor this weekend, looking to move out of the division's bottom three.
Daniel Lewis
