London (AFP) – Burnley’s Jack Cork said it would be a “massive blow” for the club if manager Sean Dyche leaves for Premier League strugglers Everton.

Dyche celebrated five years in charge last week but remains heavily linked with the Toffees, whose caretaker boss David Unsworth is striving to make an impression before this month’s international break.

In the absence of any official overture, Dyche is getting on with business as usual at Turf Moor, though Everton remain a hugely attractive proposition despite the troubles that brought down Ronald Koeman.

Clarets fans will not want to lose Dyche, who has led them to seventh in the Premier League, but summer signing Cork knows it is a possibility.

“It’s tough talking about it in and around the club because he’s been such a big part of the club for the last five years,” he said on Thursday.

“That speculation is always going to come when the team do well. I’ve been at clubs before when the manager who brought me in (leaves), Garry Monk at Swansea, Nigel Adkins at Southampton… managers do move on.

“It would be a massive blow for us if he did move on but I guess that’s football these days. I guess you don’t get chances like that all the time. It’s down to him if he’s had offers — it’s football.”

Dyche has no doubt his players will stick to the task at hand.

“They’ve got no reason not to,” he said at his weekly press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash with Southampton.

“You (the media) cover every inch of every idea or everyone who’s ever been linked in the history of every club. They read all that don’t they?

“They’ll continue to get on with business. It’s something they’ve grown accustomed to over the last few years — they’ve had links themselves, I’ve had links… I just keep getting on with the job, the same as last week, same as the week before.”