Darikwa ready for the Championship challenge

Tendayi Darikwa is relishing the battle for the right back slot at Turf Moor.
Tendeyi Darikwa gets his body in the way to clear - Burnley 2, Bradford City 0 - Turf Moor, August 1st 2015Tendeyi Darikwa gets his body in the way to clear - Burnley 2, Bradford City 0 - Turf Moor, August 1st 2015
Tendeyi Darikwa gets his body in the way to clear - Burnley 2, Bradford City 0 - Turf Moor, August 1st 2015

The 23-year-old was signed from Chesterfield last Thursday to add competition with fellow summer signing Matt Lowton and young prospect Cameron Dummigan.

Darikwa is hoping to get the nod to start at Elland Road tomorrow, having featured against Bradford City in the final friendly on Saturday – in the absence of the injured Lowton – and the Nottingham-born full back said: “I knew coming into the club that there are a lot of good players here but I wouldn’t have joined the football club if I didn’t think I could play.

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“I’ve signed for the club on the basis of trying to break into the team, although I know that’s not going to be an easy job. The first game of the season is always a massive occasion. If I’m in the team hopefully I can do well and we can come back with the three points.”

Darikwa was converted from a right winger at Chesterfield by John Sheridan, and he could provide an option out wide: “If needs be I can play further forward but I do see myself as a right back.

“I’m happy to play anywhere though. I like to get forward, that’s my game.”

Having lost Kieran Trippier to Spurs, Burnley have replaced well with potentially two of the best right backs in the Championship, though boss Sean Dyche accepted: “Potential is not fact, potential is what it is, but it’s there to grip. The right back slot was very light. We’ll be actively looking for a loan period for Cammy, but we really like him. We only really had Lowts there, so we wanted the challenge there as well. Tendayi was someone who we had on file who could push.”