Burnley have signed Republic of Ireland international Jeff Hendrick on a three-year deal.
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Hendrick, 24, shone for Ireland at EURO 2016 this summer and that persuaded Burnley to pay over $13.7 million to Derby County for the energetic central midfielder.
That means the Clarets have now spent nearly $30 million on new players this summer and have smashed their transfer record twice in the last two weeks after Belgian international Steven Defour arrived from Anderlecht.
Speaking to the club website, Hendrick revealed Burnley’s summer-long interest in him was a big factor in him signing.
“The Premier League was a big draw for me and it’s where I aspire to be after the summer I’ve had,” Hendrick said. “Burnley did so well last year going unbeaten for five months and how much they wanted me this summer was a real positive for me. I know there have been a number of bids and I was sitting there waiting for one to be accepted. I would have preferred it to happen earlier to and get to know your team mates and coaching staff a bit more, but I am just thankful it’s done now and I can go away with Ireland known my future is settled.”
Hendrick will add plenty of power to Burnley’s midfield as the Clarets aim to do something they’ve never done in their previous two seasons in the PL: stay up.
There was another Deadline Day deal for a newly-promoted team in the PL as Middlsebrough signed 20-year-old winger Adama Traore from Aston Villa.
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Traore was signed by Tim Sherwood from Barcelona for $9.1 million but failed to break through in Villa’s woeful campaign last season which ended in their relegation from the Premier League.
Now the pacey winger has another chance in the top-flight as he becomes Boro’s 11th signing of the summer and Albert Adomah heads in the opposite direction.
Aitor Karanka isn’t messing around and Middlesbrough’s unbeaten start to life back in the PL is testament to that.
