Last season’s Championship winners, Burnley have not been the most active of clubs during the summer transfer window but we can expect a busy deadline day at Turf Moor. With each and every Premier League club splashing money and bolstering their squad, Sean Dyche’s squad have definitely been left behind by some distance and the 45-year-old gaffer will leave no stone unturned on the final day to improve the first team.
We had seen a lengthy tug of war between newly-promoted Hull City and Burnley for the signing of Irish international midfielder Jeff Hendrick but The Daily Mail claimed yesterday that the Clarets have won the race for the 24-year-old’s signature. A deal worth in excess of £10million was agreed yesterday as per the aforementioned report between Derby and Burnley and the Irishman becomes the club record signing.
Sky Sports reported earlier this morning that the Irish international is undergoing a medical at Turf Moor and the announcement of the deal could be done anytime soon. The 24-year-old could prove to be an excellent signing from the Clarets. £10m might seem to be a bit high for a Championship player but Hendrick was one of the very best in the second tier of English football and is on the back of an excellent Euro campaign. On the deadline day, price of each and every player is high and £10m could turn out to be a good coup.
A strong and technically sound midfielder, Hendrick has all the ingredients to succeed in the Premier League. Blessed with a frame of 6’1″ and physically well-built, the Irishman has a very strong presence in the middle of the park. The 24-year-old has the legs to cover every blade of grass on the pitch and can dribble his way past defenders. With his eye for picking out good long or short passes, the Irishman can bring a wealth of creativity in Burnley midfield.
Burnley were extremely short on numbers in the middle of the park. New signing Steven Defour, Tendayi Darikwa and Dean Marney were the only three midfielders at Turf Moor. The lack of both quality and depth was visible clearly and Hendrick has what it takes to improve the situation. The Irish international has everything you want from a central midfielder- energy, tenacity, creativity and he can also score a decent number of goals.
A product of the Derby County youth system, Hendrick has shown that he deserves a step up in his career now after featuring 215 times for the Rams till date. Aged 24 only, the Irish international can be a long-term success at Turf Moor.
