Burnley have completed the club-record signing of forward Andre Gray from Sky Bet Championship rivals Brentford on a three-year deal.
The former Shrewsbury Town player, who was playing non-league football for fifth-tier side Luton Town in 2014, rejected a move to newly-promoted Bristol City after failing to agree personal terms earlier this week.
Instead, Gray, 24, has opted to join newly-relegated Burnley, citing manager Sean Dyche as making a ‘massive influence’ in his decision to join the Clarets.
“It was quite an easy decision in the end. As soon as Burnley’s name came up I definitely wanted to speak to them and find out what they had to say,” Gray told the club’s official website.
“It was quite straight forward after that. I spoke to my agent and (former Brentford manager) Mark Warburton and his assistant too.
“They have a good relationship with the gaffer, so I got another honest opinion from someone I trust and they sang the praises of Burnley Football Club and especially the manager.
“The gaffer was a massive influence. If you look at it, Danny Ings has gone on and Charlie Austin has been involved with England.
“Then there’s Jay Rodriguez, so the list goes on really and that’s something I want to be a part of.
“Obviously he was at Watford as well with Troy Deeney and you’ve seen his rise. He’s got this club promoted to the Premier League too, so his record speaks for itself and it was a no-brainer really.”
Dyche added:”Andre is a player who we have been aware of since his Hinckley Town days in non-league.
“He has worked very, very hard to get to the level he’s at. He has risen up the ladder and, in many ways, had a similar pathway to two former strikers here – Danny Ings and Charlie Austin.
“In that respect there is a rawness, a hunger and a great desire from him to continue his education and go even further, and we intend that to be with us in the immediacy and also in the future.”
Gray will wear the No. 7 shirt at Turf Moor.
City closing on De Bruyne
Manchester City are expected to complete the signing of former Chelsea midfielder Kevin de Bruyne from VfL Wolfsburg for a fee believed to be in the region of €70 million, according to Sky Germany.
The Belgium international, who left Stamford Bridge for the Volkswagen Arena in a deal worth £18 million in January 2014, was named the Bundesliga Player of the Year in 2014/15 after tallying 10 goals and 20 assists in 34 league appearances for Die Wölfe.
Manchester City are priced at 6/5 to win the English Premier League title this season.
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