Heaton assessing his options regarding January move

The emergence of Nick Pope and arrival of Joe Hart in the summer mean there are now three genuine contenders for the gloves at Turf Moor, with a combination of injuries to Heaton and Hart's fine form have limited the 32-year-old to just three appearances from a possible 15 so far this campaign.

With Pope still to return to fitness following a shoulder problem, Heaton admits he is already thinking about what to do in January, admitting that a move is an option if it is clear he is not going to play.

"Joe was thrown in against Istanbul Basaksehir in the Europa League," Heaton told the 'Daily Mirror'. "The manager then kept him in for the weekend for the first Premier League game of the season at Southampton, which was frustrating for me.

"I can't lie. That was tough. ­Obviously, I knew Joe well and have great respect for him, but, to be perfectly honest, I was ­expecting to play.

"It doesn't need a rocket scientist to see that it's going to be difficult to fit us all [Pope and Hart] in.

"Come the January transfer window, I've got to keep my ­options open. The one thing I've been consistent about in my career is moving clubs in order to play games.