PARKER DELIGHTED TO ADD SHELVEY'S EXPERIENCE TO THE SQUAD

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Clarets boss discusses Burnley's latest signing

2025-01-21T14:54:10.724Z

PARKER DELIGHTED TO ADD SHELVEY'S EXPERIENCE TO THE SQUAD

Clarets boss discusses Burnley's latest signing

2025-01-21T14:54:10.724Z

Clarets boss discusses Burnley's latest signing

Head Coach Scott Parker believes Jonjo Shelvey's quality can have a 'big impact' on the squad, after the former Newcastle United and England midfielder signed a short-term deal until the end of the 2024/25 season on Monday.

The 32-year-old, who has played over 270 games in the Premier League, recently moved back to England following the expiration of his contract with Turkish Süper Lig side Eyüpspor and following a successful couple of weeks training with the Clarets, the central-midfielder is now part of Parker's team for the remainder of the campaign.

Parker was pleased to add Shelvey's experience and says he can bring 'huge qualities' to his side: "It suits both parties at this present moment in time. From my side, Jonjo came in last week to train with us and we instantly saw his quality.

“He’s a guy that's had many years in and around it and he’s 32, so he's not at the back end of it and he's still got plenty left in him.

“He went off to Turkey and he's come back and I think we've seen or certainly I've seen in three or four training sessions and what I know of him and watching from him from afar, the quality he possesses.

“I think he helps us and he probably brings a little bit of something different to maybe what we've got in those positions. He brings experience and something to prove as well, coming back to England, so I'm delighted to have Jonjo with us now.

“Obviously he needs some training now to get him up to speed and hopefully he can have a big impact on the current squad.”

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The Burnley boss continued: “On the pitch, there's X amount of games underneath Jonjo, he knows his way around a football pitch and he knows his way around promotion teams or teams that want to be operating in the top end of the league.

“Obviously off the pitch, it goes without saying we have a young squad that are going to need senior players who have been around it to support and help get us through these next 20-odd games.”

Parker and Shelvey have battled against each other on a handful of occasions in midfield and the Head Coach remembers their encounters on the pitch.

"I think that was one of my first conversations with him, to be fair. I think we had a few battles and he's certainly a guy that wants to win and will do certain things to win really, and his quality as well.

"I think we played against each other a couple of times and I'm looking forward to working with him."