Clarets swoop for Jamaican Dane (From This Is Lancashire)

Clarets swoop for Jamaican Dane

7:17am Monday 27th August 2012 in Sport

Burnley have signed Jamaican winger Dane Richards from Vancouver Whitecaps on a pre-contract agreement.

Richards will join the Clarets on a free transfer on January 1, 2013 at the conclusion of the current Major League Soccer (MLS) season.

The 28-year-old Jamaican international is in his first season with Vancouver, having joined the Canadian outfit in July and scoring two goals in six league starts.

Previously, in five-and-a-half-years with the New York Red Bulls, the pacy winger made just short of 150 appearances, scoring 21 goals.

But Richards, who has more than 40 international caps to his name, has committed to a move to England and will link up with the Clarets on a permanent deal in the New Year.

Manager Eddie Howe said: “We are delighted to have signed Dane, who is a player we have been tracking for a while.

“I watched him at New York, where he played for a number of years and he is someone who has all the attributes we are looking for to add to our squad.”