Burnley have announced that former Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood has extended his stay with the club.
Westwood, 30, has put pen-to-paper on a three-year contract at Turf Moor.
Ashley Westwood Extends Burnley Stay
Invaluable Experience
Westwood joined Burnley in January 2017 and had less than one year remaining on his original contract before today’s renewal. The midfielder, who started out at Crewe Alexandra, has made 113 appearances for the club since his arrival, contributing with four goals and 15 assists. He has played in well over 100 games for each of his three clubs, which indicates just how valuable he has been.
He is a mainstay for Burnley, making 37 appearances in the 2019/20 campaign. Westwood scored the winning goal against Leicester City at Turf Moor last season and the opener v Southampton at St Mary’s, in a game Burnley also won 2-1.
With 222 Premier League appearances to his name, Westwood offers invaluable experience in the Burnley midfield.
In Ben Mee‘s absence, Westwood has taken the armband for his two starts this season. Sean Dyche trusts him as one of the senior members of the squad.
Feels Like Home
“I’m delighted to finally get it done,” Westwood told Burnley’s official website. “Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve been welcomed. The gaffer has been brilliant, the lads are phenomenal and the fans have taken to me, which is the main thing. It really feels like home now.
“I still feel I’ve got plenty more to give. I feel fit, touch wood I’ve been lucky with injuries, and the way we train and do things here stands me in good stead for, hopefully, a long career.
“When I first went to Villa I was playing well and rode the wave and then had a bit of a sticky spell.
“Since coming here, the gaffer has got me playing forward a lot more and it’s showed in my assists and creating chances.
“It feels like it’s been a perfect fit for me and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.
“It’s a club that is still on the up. We are a squad that pulls together and we are hopefully adding a couple to that now.
“Dale (Stephens) has come in with a lot of Premier League experience, which is what you need, and hopefully we can maintain what we have here and really keep the club progressing forwards.”
Burnley Holding Their Own
Burnley finished tenth last season, with 54 points, just five points short of the European spots. 20 points clear of relegation, they are an established Premier League club, holding their own, even against the very best. They were able to record wins over Leicester City and Manchester United last season, whilst also taking a point off the champions, Liverpool.
So far this season, they’ve only played one league game, a 4-2 loss at Leicester. They have recorded two wins in the Carabao Cup, over Sheffield United (on penalties) and Millwall.
They might have hopes of going on a cup run this season, however, they face the daunting task of hosting holders Manchester City in the fourth round. Burnley have already gone further than they did in the competition last year, when they lost 3-1 to Sunderland in the second round.
Main Photo
Embed from Getty Images
