West Bromwich Albion have joined Newcastle United in the race to sign former Burnley midfielder Jeff Hendrick according to 90Min.
Hendrick left the Clarets last month following the expiry of his contract and his refusal to sign a new deal saw him left out of the squad for the final few games of the season.
Burnley did try to persuade the midfielder to sign a new deal but an agreement couldn’t be reached and he is now available as a free agent.
AC Milan had been credited with an interest in Hendrick but this now appears to have cooled and Newcastle believe they are frontrunners to sign him with manager Steve Bruce having monitored him for some time.
The 28-year-old has been linked with Everton, Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion and there was also interest from overseas sides like Milan, Atalanta, Lille and Marseille, but Newcastle believe they are ahead of the chasing pack in the race for his signature.
Hendrick was a solid performer for Sean Dyche’s side and comes with plenty of Premier League experience and would be a real coup for any top-flight club this summer with his energy and commitment unquestionable.
He has made 122 Premier League appearances in his career while also earning 54 caps for the Ireland national team – underlying his domestic and international experience.
The one stumbling block which Newcastle may face is the Saudi-backed consortium deal to buy the club and the uncertainty which still hangs over the future of the club which could put off any potential signings.
West Brom are looking to strengthen their midfield options and with Jake Livermore and Romaine Sawyers their current main two options, the capture of Hendrick would be a welcome one ahead of their upcoming Premier League season.
