Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Dane Richards will join English Championship outfit Burnley FC at the end of the 2012 season, the club announced Sunday morning.
Richards scores with superb curler
Richards, a Jamaican international, was recently acquired by Vancouver from New York in a trade for Sebastien Le Toux and allocation money, but will now have a chance to test his luck across the ocean once his contract is up.
“Dane is in the final year of his MLS contract, so we knew there was a strong possibility he might get offers from Europe for next season,” said Martin Rennie, Whitecaps head coach. “When we traded for Dane we received allocation money which is a valuable asset in our league. Dane will continue to be an important part of our squad as we push for a playoff spot, and we look forward to his contributions throughout the rest of the season before he starts with his new club Burnley FC.”
The 28-year-old winger was picked 19th overall by the Red Bulls in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft and played his entire MLS career until July's trade with New York. To date, he has totaled 23 goals and 26 assists over 154 MLS appearances.
"Burnley FC presented a good opportunity for me to play in Europe for the first time in my career," Richards said. "At the same time, I am really enjoying my time with Whitecaps FC and will continue to work hard to contribute to the team's success as we move towards the postseason."
