Burnley striker Ashley Barnes delighted to be back at the club

Clarets striker Ashley Barnes is delighted to be back at Burnley for his 10th season with the club.
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The club took up their one-year option on the 32-year-old’s contract over the summer, and he will celebrate a decade at Turf Moor in January, having been Sean Dyche’s first cash signing for the club, for £450,000 from Brighton.

He has since racked up 248 appearances for the club, with 47 goals, including a Europa League strike.

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From the squad with the oldest average age in the Championship, it looks like Barnes will now be one of the older citizens as Vincent Kompany remodels things.

Burnley's English striker Ashley Barnes (C) controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Newcastle United at Turf Moor in Burnley, north west England on May 22, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)Burnley's English striker Ashley Barnes (C) controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Newcastle United at Turf Moor in Burnley, north west England on May 22, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)
Burnley's English striker Ashley Barnes (C) controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Newcastle United at Turf Moor in Burnley, north west England on May 22, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)

And Barnes is looking forward to a new challenge with the Manchester City legend only the second permanent boss he will have played under at the club.

On the players’ return to Gawthorpe for testing and pre-season training this week, Barnes said: "Yeah, once they took up the option, I was delighted to get back with this new adventure now.

"It's a fresh start for everyone, it's going to be a new challenge, new ideas, and it will be interesting to see which new faces come in.

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"There's still a few of us older ones here and now we have to look after the young ones and help them every day.

"That's something we're all looking forward to, with the new additions that possibly come in, it's getting that team bonding going again, for another season, to get promoted.

"We've got to do the work and it will be a tough pre-season, but you've got to grind through it and be ready for the start of the season.”

While the likes of Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Erik Pieters, Aaron Lennon, Phil Bardsley and Dale Stephens have moved on at the end of their contracts, Barnes was joined in signing a new deal by Jack Cork, who agreed a two-year contract, and he is thrilled to still have the midfielder as a teammate: "It's exceptional what Corky's done through his career, and what a player he is, and it's good for the likes of me to have him alongside us.

"He's a big part of the changing room.”