Jay Rodriguez has signed a new two-year contract extension to stay at Burnley until end of 2023-24 season.
Having began his career with the Clarets as he graduated through their youth academy into the senior squad at end of 2006-07 season, where he proceeded to net 41 goals in 128 appearances across all competitions amidst loans at Stirling Albion and Barnsley during his first stint at Turf Moor.
In Summer 2012, Rodriguez departed Burnley for Southampton where he spent five seasons on the South Coast before joining West Brom in Summer 2017, only for the Baggies to suffer relegation at end of 2018-19 season.
Rodriguez consequently re-joined Burnley in July 2019 for a £10m transfer fee split into two £5m payments, from which he has gone on to play a key role in the club’s escapology acts against the threat of relegation with 21 goals in 107 appearances.
Speaking about his decision to stay with his hometown club as he paid tribute to the team spirit around the squad as they fight relegation, Rodriguez said: “A big thing that’s stood out for me since I’ve been here is the togetherness of the group and how we work for each other.
“We’re all humble and down to earth. You look at the squad and you know you’re going to work extremely hard.”
The 32 year-old also noted that the club supporters share a “togetherness” spirit much like the team no matter what challenges face the club, which has seen the arrival of new owners and the sacking of Sean Dyche within the last two seasons alone.
Rodriguez added that Burnley is important to him as he reflected on his footballing journey as a player for his home team, in which he said: “Having grown up in the area, it is always a pleasure and a privilege to represent Burnley, so when the Club offered the contract, it was a no brainer for me.”
On what it means to wear the first-team shirt of his hometown team, Rodriguez iterated that playing for Burnley as a local lad is “extra special”, especially given the club’s footballing journey over recent decades as he insisted that he “just wanted to be a part of that” for two more seasons at minimum.
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