13-06-2018, 20:18
The Lilywhites’ fourth signing of the summer sees Graham Burke join Preston North End from League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers.
The 24-year-old arrives at Deepdale for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.
The Dublin-born player came through the same youth set up at Aston Villa as new team-mates Callum Robinson and Daniel Johnson, but returned to his home city, where he has scored nine goals in 16 league appearances already this season to sit joint top of the scoring charts.
Last month he was called up for Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland squad for the first time, alongside Robinson, Sean Maguire, Daryl Horgan and Alan Browne and marked his first start, against the USA, with his side’s equalising goal.
That goal was the first by a League of Ireland player for 40 years – when another former PNE and Shamrock Rovers man, Ray Treacy, scored against Turkey in 1978!
Speaking after completing the move to PR1, Graham said: “It was brilliant to hear the news of Preston North End’s interest. I was thrilled with the opportunity to have the chance to come to such a good club as this.
“It was also great to be joining a club where I know some of the boys, so it should help me settle in.
“I have kept a close eye on the club with the Irish players going over there and knowing the likes of Callum [Robinson] and DJ, so when I found out about the interest, it was a no brainer for me to try and get the deal done.
“It is brilliant to be part of this group. Looking at last season, we finished just two points outside the Play-Offs and to do that with such a young group illustrates the hunger that is there and I have the same desire to get better as a football player.
“All young players want to improve and the ambitions we have as individuals and as a group are to get into the Premier League and all the boys will be fighting for that.”
Graham will join fellow new recruits Michael Crowe, Ryan Ledson and Jordan Storey in starting pre-season with Alex Neil’s squad when they join back up at the end of the month.
[img]URL=http://s36.photobucket.com/user/themaclad/media/Large_zpsxpg7ycqn.jpg.html]![[Image: Large_zpsxpg7ycqn.jpg]](http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/themaclad/Large_zpsxpg7ycqn.jpg)
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The 24-year-old arrives at Deepdale for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.
The Dublin-born player came through the same youth set up at Aston Villa as new team-mates Callum Robinson and Daniel Johnson, but returned to his home city, where he has scored nine goals in 16 league appearances already this season to sit joint top of the scoring charts.
Last month he was called up for Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland squad for the first time, alongside Robinson, Sean Maguire, Daryl Horgan and Alan Browne and marked his first start, against the USA, with his side’s equalising goal.
That goal was the first by a League of Ireland player for 40 years – when another former PNE and Shamrock Rovers man, Ray Treacy, scored against Turkey in 1978!
Speaking after completing the move to PR1, Graham said: “It was brilliant to hear the news of Preston North End’s interest. I was thrilled with the opportunity to have the chance to come to such a good club as this.
“It was also great to be joining a club where I know some of the boys, so it should help me settle in.
“I have kept a close eye on the club with the Irish players going over there and knowing the likes of Callum [Robinson] and DJ, so when I found out about the interest, it was a no brainer for me to try and get the deal done.
“It is brilliant to be part of this group. Looking at last season, we finished just two points outside the Play-Offs and to do that with such a young group illustrates the hunger that is there and I have the same desire to get better as a football player.
“All young players want to improve and the ambitions we have as individuals and as a group are to get into the Premier League and all the boys will be fighting for that.”
Graham will join fellow new recruits Michael Crowe, Ryan Ledson and Jordan Storey in starting pre-season with Alex Neil’s squad when they join back up at the end of the month.
[img]URL=http://s36.photobucket.com/user/themaclad/media/Large_zpsxpg7ycqn.jpg.html]
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