BURTON Albion can confirm the signing of Oxford United midfielder Sean Clare on loan for the remainder of the 2020/21 season, subject to EFL approval.
The 24-year-old becomes manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s second signing after returning to the club on January 1, with defender Hayden Carter on loan from Blackburn Rovers last week.
Clare returned to English football with Oxford this summer, after spending two years at Heart of Midlothian, where he was briefly teammate with Albion midfielder Ryan Edwards.
The versatile midfielder spent five years in the Charlton Athletic youth system, before joining Nike Academy before being signed by Sheffield Wednesday in 2017.
Clare has scored once in five games for the Owls while having productive loan spells at Bury, Gillingham and Accrington Stanley. He then moved to Hearts in the summer of 2018, scoring 12 times in 71 appearances, before moving to the United States, for whom he has made 20 appearances this season.
Manager Hasselbaink is happy to be able to loan Clare on loan and expects him to fight for a place in midfield.
Hasselbaink said: “Sean is on loan from Oxford to compete for a midfielder position. He is box-to-box, very energetic and very athletic.
“I think we need more legs in the midfield, and he certainly gives that to us. He’s someone who has played championship football and has played extensively in the SPL.
“He will be in the 18 or 19 squad against Ipswich (after) he trained today. Tuesday is a tough day for us and he came out of it.”
Clare sat down with iFollow Brewers after having that first workout on Tuesday morning, and is excited to start.
Clare said: “It’s been a tough session (this morning) – tough but good! All the things the manager is working on are things we have to do in games and how we have to play.
“I’ve spoken to him a few times. He sees me as a central midfielder and that’s where I see myself – someone who can be box-to-box, come forward but also come back and help the team defend. .
“I like getting on the ball, driving with it and hoping to be able to score some goals and assists to help us move up the rankings.”
Sean will wear the team’s number 28 during his time at Pirelli Stadium. Welcome, Sean!
