Burnley boss Sean Dyche will refuse to panic buy if the Clarets miss out on their prime targets.
Manager Dyche also believes his squad will transform once a host of injured players return.
The club are talking to Liverpool about winger Harry Wilson having signed Dale Stephens from Brighton last week.
"It is not just down to him (the chairman) but I can't sign the cheques," said Dyche, ahead of Wednesday's visit of Manchester City in the Carabao Cup.
"Would we want a couple more? Ideally, yes, but when everyone who is injured, when they're all fit it looks radically different.
"We don't want to sign for the sake of signing but we do want talent and players who fit us and can take us forward.
"We're on the lookout but eventually it comes down to someone making those big decisions financially.
"In house as well, we have to make sure the players are looked after. We have some very good ones, particularly for a club like Burnley, we have some very talented players."
Dyche also said nothing had changed in James Tarkowski's situation with Leicester having had a bid worth over £30million rejected last week.
He added: "I can't control other clubs, they know where James is and the situation. If anyone offers the chairman and board will deal with it accordingly."
Burnley are suffering with injuries to Tarkowski (toe), Ben Mee (thigh), Robbie Brady (ribs), Jay Rodriguez (ankle), Johann Berg Gudmundsson (knee), Jack Cork (ankle) and Ashley Barnes.
City are also without Sergio Aguero (knee), Bernardo Silva (thigh), Joao Cancelo (ankle) and Ilkay Gundogan, who is self isolating after contracting coronavirus and Dyche knows what opposite number Pep Guardiola has to contend with.
"It's just an understanding, different levels to the market bring different challenges," he said.
"His challenge of being manager of Manchester City and having won the league and cups is to keep going and even those guys get challenged when the players are injured.
"It's more of an empathy. We are different level of the market, there's an expectation there of wining something every year, if not the league then cups.
"Ours is slightly different but it's still a stretch for any manager, we've had seven starters out and for a small squad that's really hard."
