Burnley sign Charlie Taylor on four-year deal from Leeds

By Rory O'Callaghan

Image: Charlie Taylor has joined Burnley on a four-year deal after leaving boyhood club Leeds United

Charlie Taylor has signed a four-year deal with Burnley after turning down the offer of a new contract at Leeds United.

Taylor joins the Clarets after deciding to leave his boyhood club at the end of his contract, despite the offer of a new two-year deal at Elland Road.

Burnley will have to pay a compensation fee for the 23-year-old, which could yet be decided by a tribunal if an agreement is not made between the two clubs.

"It's my first move permanently away from Leeds, so it's something different for me but something I can't wait to crack on with," Taylor told Clarets Player HD.

Image: Taylor has rejected the offer of a new contract at Elland Road

"I've been there since I was nine and I knew it was the right time really. There were so many things that attracted me to Burnley; it ticks every box and it was a no-brainer really.

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"That's the huge attraction of the Premier League, just everything about it! Week in, week out you are playing teams like Chelsea and Manchester United, so I just can't wait to get started."

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Taylor was crowned Player of the Year at Leeds at the end of the 2015-16 campaign but opted not to sign a new deal with the Championship club, who narrowly missed out on the play-offs under Garry Monk last season.

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"Last season was definitely a positive one for Leeds. It didn't end too great, missing out on the play-offs but there's definitely a lot of positives to take from that," Taylor added.

"It was a tough decision in the end to leave, but one I had to make.

Image: Burnley have reinforced their squad following the sale of Michael Keane to Everton

"It's nice to hear some nice comments from Leeds fans. I was there a long time and it is sad to leave but I'm just looking forward to the next chapter in my life and kicking on, trying to improve with the manager, the staff and get used to the surroundings and my team-mates."

Taylor becomes the first high-profile signing of the summer for Burnley, who are looking to reinforce their squad ahead of their second season back in the Premier League.

The Clarets have allowed a number of players to leave for free this summer, including George Boyd and Joey Barton, while highly-rated centre-back Michael Keane has joined Everton for a fee which could rise to £30m.

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