England U20 striker Chris Long has signed a three-year deal with Burnley for an undisclosed fee.
There had been plenty of interest shown in the 20-year-old over the summer period but ultimately it was the Clarets who clinched the youngster's signature. This move ends a 15-year spell at Everton, whom he joined at the tender age of five.
Long will now link up with his new Burnley team-mates as they prepare for their upcoming Championship campaign, which begins with a game at Leeds United on Saturday 8 August.
Football League experience
Long is no stranger to Championship football, having played the majority of his senior football in that division during a loan spell with Brentford last season. There, he managed to score an impressive four goals in five games before a series of injuries kept him out of the squad.
Prior to that, the Huyton-born striker had spent time on loan with MK Dons in League One after bursting through Everton’s academy as a regular goalscorer for their junior teams.
Raring to go
Speaking to the Clarets' official website, Long said that he was "absolutely buzzing" to have completed the move, telling fans that he "can't wait to get started" at Turf Moor.
He went on to thank former club Everton for his introduction into the footballing world, but described it as high time to "start a new chapter in my life" - one which will hopefully include more first-team football.
After his spell with Brentford last season which brought four league goals in just ten games, Long feels that he has "proved that I can score goals" in the second division, and is "looking forward to scoring goals for Burnley" in the coming year, describing himself as "fresh, young and eager to succeed".
Burnley are looking to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking after suffering relegation from the top tier of English football last season. His move comes shortly after Burnley boss Sean Dyche had complained about the heavy spending of Championship rivals Derby County and Middlesbrough.