Matt Lowton, Kevin Long, Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Erik Pieters extend Burnley contracts
Defenders Matt Lowton and Kevin Long, and winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson sign new two-year deals; Burnley activate option to extend Erik Pieters' current deal until the end of the 2021/22 season
Saturday 30 January 2021 17:47, UK
Matt Lowton, Kevin Long, Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Erik Pieters have all signed contract extensions at Burnley.
Lowton, Long and Gudmundsson have signed new two-year deals to extend their stays until June 2023.
Left-back Erik Pieters has also prolonged his time at Turf Moor after an option to extend his contract until the end of the 2021/22 season was activated by the club.
The quartet follow midfielders Jack Cork, Ashley Westwood and club captain Ben Mee in signing new deals to commit to the Clarets this season.
"It's an important time with the transition of one chairman and owner to the next chairman and owners to make sure we're planning - and I've said this all along - not just outside by recruitment but inside as well," manager Sean Dyche told the club's website.
"We have to make sure good people, good players and good servants to the club remain so and in agreeing these contracts, they're certainly putting their front foot forward and saying 'yes, we want to be part of it, we enjoy the challenge and we want to take it on', and that's the mentality we need."
McNeil: Nothing to fear vs Chelsea
Dwight McNeil insists Burnley have nothing to fear when they travel to Chelsea on Sunday in buoyant mood after recording three wins on the bounce.
The Clarets will start as underdogs at Stamford Bridge against a home side still adjusting to new manager Thomas Tuchel.
But Dyche's side began their current run with victory over Liverpool at Anfield and also won at Arsenal last month, so will head south full of belief they are capable of upsetting the odds once again.
"We're on 22 points and going along nicely. We're heading in the right direction," McNeil said on the club's website.
"You've got to be careful of what's behind you but we're always looking up because we want to move forward as a team.
"We know it will be a hard game. They've got a new manager and it will be like a fresh start for them, especially going into the second half of the season.
"But we've got to focus on ourselves. We've won at hard grounds before, so we've got that confidence going into it."
