Watford chief executive Julian Winter is keen to keep hold of manager Malky Mackay as he believes the Hornets boss is “fundamental to what the club are trying to build”.

It is reported Mackay is the number one target for Championship rivals Burnley following the sacking of Brian Laws and odds on the Watford manager moving to Turf Moor were slashed to 1/5 at one point yesterday (Thursday).

Mackay has also been linked with the assistant manager’s job at Newcastle United in recent weeks but Winter confirmed: “There have been no approaches for Malky whatsoever.

“We would not welcome any approaches. We are trying to build something and Malky is a fundamental part of that process.”

The Watford Observer understands Watford would insist a compensation package is agreed before they let Burnley, or any other club, talk to Mackay.

The Hornets boss was reluctant to discuss if he was interested in a move to Burnley and he said: “I don’t think it is respectful for me to comment on other jobs. I am the manager of this club right now.”

The odds of Mackay taking over at Burnley fluctuated wildly during yesterday, dropping to 1/5 after starting the day at 3/1 and returning back to 11/8 by the time the Watford Observer went to press.

Burnley chairman Barry Kilby has confirmed the club are planning to hold interviews with a number of candidates and that the Clarets’ board are still targeting a return to the Premier League this season.

Kilby told the Lancashire Telegraph: “We have two weeks where we don’t have a league game with points at stake. It gives us that time to get up and down the country and see the people we want to see, see the best candidates and get the best person for Burnley Football Club.

“We’re going down our shortlist and we’ll be interviewing the people we want to see.

“More or less our shortlist is about half a dozen people, different sorts, different reputations. Let’s hope we can make a good decision.

“I’d say we will appoint when we’re ready. Stuart [Gray] is holding the fort now but the path of the club has to be sorted out as quickly as possible and uncertainties put out of the way.

“That is most important, but on the other hand it has got to be the right man. There will be negotiations attached to that with their own timescale. We’ll do it as quickly as we possibly can.”

l Winter has stated he will not be discussing Watford’s transfer policy for the January window as deals become “more confused and complicated” by being in the public domain.

The chief executive has made no secret of Watford’s need to sell players to be sustainable in the past but refused to discuss the club’s plans for the coming weeks when asked yesterday.

Winter refused to confirm whether Mackay will have money to spend or if Watford needed to sell any players before the January transfer window closed in a bid to balance the books.

He explained: “What I have never done is talk about transfers in and out, except for the first summer I was in the job when it was clear we needed to sell some players. Since then I have not really talked about it.

“I come from the school of thought that on transfers in and out, you say nothing until a deal is done because quite often deals get more confused and complicated by the nature of them being in the public domain.”