BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche says he was confident of Tom Heaton signing a new deal to stay at Turf Moor.

The keeper was linked with Southampton, Aston Villa and Everton after a debut Premier League season in which he kept 10 clean sheets, resulting his first England call-up.

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But Heaton this week put an end to any concerns about his future by signing a three-year deal with the Clarets, just 12 months after penning a new two-year deal after sealing promotion.

“I don’t think there was much doubt with it,” said Dyche of the keeper, who became his first permanent signing for the club two years ago on a free transfer from Bristol City.

“He was under contract anyway but we also make sure we’re proactive in securing players who we think are highly motivated to be part of what the club wants to do and I want to do, and he’s one of them.

“There are many others, by the way, but he was an obvious one having got into the England set-up and having a very good season, and we have to make sure we are safeguarding our positions as well going forward, and he’s certainly a part of that.

“His performances have been well documented since he’s been at the club, he enjoys it here, he likes the challenge of what we’re trying to do and what we have done and what we want to do, and he wants to be part of that. He’s made that clear.”

Heaton has been a league ever-present in his first two years at Turf Moor.