Burnley signs Hannes Delcroix from Anderlecht

Burnley has announced the signing of defender, Hannes Delcroix, from RSC Anderlecht for an undisclosed fee.

The Haitian-born, Belgium-raised centre-back has sealed a three-year deal with the Clarets, reuniting him with his former mentor, Vincent Kompany.

Delcroix, 24, quickly moved through the transfer process upon hearing of Burnley's interest.

"It went really quick. I had a phone call with Vinny and Saturday I was already on the plane," said the new recruit, emphasizing the lightning speed of the transfer.

His enthusiasm for joining the Premier League side was evident as he regarded it as "the best competition in the world at the moment" and hailed his move as a big opportunity.

The defender's journey began in Haiti but took a turn when he moved to Belgium at the age of two.

A product of Antwerp and RBC Roosendaal's youth systems, he eventually became a part of Anderlecht's academy in 2013.

Delcroix made his senior debut for Anderlecht in 2018 after signing his first professional contract the preceding year.

His experience also includes a loan spell at RKC Waalwijk in the Eredivisie during the 2019/20 season.

National pride accompanied his club success, as Delcroix represented Belgium from the U15 to U21 levels and made his senior debut in November 2020 against Switzerland.

Reflecting on his journey, Delcroix commented on his extended tenure with Anderlecht, saying, “I have been through almost all the youth [at Anderlecht]. Under 15 I started. It was quite a long time for playing in the first team."

"Then I was on loan for one year in Holland, RKC Waalwijk. And then I came back, and I started playing under Kompany.”

His connection with Kompany seems pivotal, with the defender crediting him for a lot of his development.

Moreover, the defender expressed warmth at seeing familiar faces in Burnley's setup, including Assistant Manager Craig Bellamy and midfielder Josh Cullen, with whom he had interacted during his time at Anderlecht.

Discussing the stark contrast between Belgian football and the Premier League, Delcroix spoke of his experience facing West Ham United in the Europa League last season.

"You see the stadium. You see the quality of the players. This is also something like if I can ever play in the Premier League, it’s like a dream come true," he said, acknowledging the allure of the English top-flight league.