Burnley have announced that bang-in-form defender James Tarkowski has signed a new four-year contract extension at Turf Moor.
The centre-back’s existing deal was due to expire the summer after next, though he is now contractually tied to the Clarets until June of 2022.
BREAKING: @Tarky19 signs new long-term deal at Burnley. Full story to follow. pic.twitter.com/7jLNF4B5Lw
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) January 4, 2018
Speaking about the deal on Burnley’s official club website, manager Sean Dyche said:
We felt it appropriate to offer James a new deal on two levels. He’s done well in the Premier League and secondly his contract was out of sync.
Tarkowski originally served as back-up to Michael Keane in the Burnley back four but the 25-year-old has flourished since the latter left for Everton, becoming an integral, load-bearing pillar at the heart of the Clarets’ impressive 2017/18 defensive line, alongside Ben Mee.
So much so, in fact, that The Times recently postulated Tarkowski might well be the subject of January bids from both Arsenal and Man City.
However, a watertight new contract signed right at the start of the January transfer window will serve to ward off any interest from the big boys, or at least ring-fence his value at a maximum asking price.
Either way, nicely done.