Vydra signs in
Czech international forward Matěj Vydra has become Burnley’s latest signing in this transfer window with a move from Derby County for an undisclosed fee.
Vydra arrives at Turf Moor after two years at Pride Park in which he scored 26 league goals in 73 appearances and, having looked close to joining Leeds last week, has signed a three year deal with the Clarets and with an option for a further year.
He started his career in his home country with FC Vysočina Jihlava and Baník Ostrava before moving on to Udinese. In five years with the Italian club he played most of his football away on loan, at Club Brugge, Watford (twice) and at West Brom. In two seasons at Watford, 2012/13 and 2014/15, he scored 36 goals in 83 league appearances and that led to him making the move from Udinese a permanent one.
Having won promotion to the Premier League, he found himself behind Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo for a place in the team. He made just one League Cup appearance before moving to Reading on loan for the season.
He got his Watford Premier League debut at the start of the following season, having previously played in the top flight for West Brom, coming on as a late substitute for Adlene Guedioura in a 2-1 home defeat against Chelsea but a week later moved to Derby in a £7 million deal.
He’s had two good seasons in the Championship with the East Midlands squad and was the league’s leading goalscorer last season. Things have changed there now, the belts have been tightened after a number of failed attempts at winning promotion.
The 26-year-old Vydra , who has played for his country at all levels which includes 20 full caps, will now get his chance again at Premier League football with the Clarets.
Vydra said on completing the move: “I think five years ago I was like a kid in the Premier League. Now I feel I have more experience in English football, I speak better English and I have learned more in England, so I hope I’m a better player than five years ago. For the last four years I have been fighting to be in the Premier League. I haven’t done it with the teams I was playing for and sometimes it has to be done with a transfer and now I’m so happy.
“My ambition is to play in the best league in the world so thank-you to the gaffer here and to Burnley for giving me a hand to play in the Premier League and now it’s about me to show he chose the right person and hopefully I will be successful with mine and Burnley’s targets.”
He added: “I watched Burnley last season and they played with two strikers which is good for me. Last season it looked like no-one liked to come to Burnley’s home stadium and I hope we will carry on with that and also we will play nice football which the fans will love. The team finished seventh last season. It will be hard to do that again but it’s football and you never know what can happen. You have to enjoy what we are doing because football is the best job you can do. I can’t be more happy to play in the Premier League and I will do my best for Burnley.”
Follow UpTheClarets:
Share this page :