Burnley bolster midfield options with deadline day addition of Stoke City man

The 29-year-old joins the Clarets for an undisclosed fee and has penned a two-year deal, with the option of a third.

Laurent becomes Burnley’s 12th addition of the summer, although one of those arrivals – Johann Berg Gudmundsson – has already departed.

“I’m so happy to be here,” Laurent said of his move.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting my teammates, working under the manager and learning as much as I can.

“It’s an exciting place to be right now and the aim for us is promotion and I want to be a part of that, it’s really exciting.”

Laurent follows Brighton’s Jeremy Sarmiento in making the move to Turf Moor on deadline day after the winger agreed a season-long loan move.

Going the other way, meanwhile, has been Luke McNally to Bristol City.

Born and raised in Leytonstone, Laurent had spells within the academies of Chelsea, Redbridge and Wycombe Wanderers before moving to Queens Park Rangers in the summer of 2012.

The midfielder progressed through the youth team at Loftus Road and featured regularly for the Under-18s and Under-23s, as well as a loan spell with Conference Premier side Braintree Town, before departing the R’s in January 2015 to join Brentford.

Laurent spent 12 months with the Bees’ development squad, which included a loan spell with League Two Newport County, where he made his Football League debut, before moving on to Hartlepool United in February 2016.

Following a season-and-a-half with United, Laurent had spells with Wigan Athletic and Bury, before signing for Shrewsbury in the summer of 2018.

Over 70 appearances in League One with the Shrews saw him rewarded with a move to Championship side Reading, where he became an integral figure in the Royals’ midfield and won the club’s Player of the Year award in 2020/21.

June 2022 saw Laurent depart Reading and join Stoke City, where he quickly became a fan favourite and was then appointed club captain ahead of last season at the Bet365 Stadium.

The Clarets have until 11pm tonight to finalise their transfer business.