Hendrick: Burnley move came at the right time

Burnley’s club-record signing Jeff Hendrick has taken to the top flight like a duck to water and believes his move to the Premier League came at the perfect time in his career.

Following eight years with Derby County, the 24-year-old caught the eye of a number of Premier League teams over the summer after his impressive displays for Republic of Ireland at Euro 2016.

Derby boss Nigel Pearson wanted Hendrick to help the Rams push for promotion but Burnley’s £10 million bid was enough to see the midfielder get his chance in the top flight.

And after getting off the mark for the Clarets by scoring in the 2-0 win over Watford towards the end of last month, he has no regrets about the move.

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“For me it was probably the right time to move on,” said Hendrick. “Eight years is a long time at a club. I’ve seen a lot of change and have a lot of good memories and a lot of bad memories as well.

“Personally I needed to move on and have a new challenge in football to keep me hungry for success and this year was the right time for me.

“When I got back to Derby I sat down with Nigel Pearson and we had a good chat and he asked me what my aspirations were after the summer.

“I said having a good summer, playing in the Euros, playing against the top teams and top players, I want to play in the Premier League.

“He liked the way I was thinking but I was told he wasn’t going to let me go unless the price was right for him and the club.”