BURNLEY SIGN JOEY ON FREE TRANSFER

JOEY Barton has agreed to rejoin Burnley until the end of the season on a free transfer.

Barton has been working at t h e cl u b ’s training ground since being released from his ill-fated spell at Rangers last month.

The Clarets announced he would rejoin Sean Dyche’s side next month pending international clearance.

The 34-year-old spent last season at Turf Moor, playing a starring role in the Clarets’ promotion as Championship winners but turned down a new contract offer in the summer and instead signed for Rangers.

Barton was voted Burnley fans’ Player of the Year last season, his first with the club, playing 38 league games campaign.

Though a contract to remain with Dyche’s team for their top-flight tilt was on the table, Barton snubbed the offer, saying the chance to represent Rangers was one “the competitive animal in me just could not turn down”.

However, he appeared on just eight occasions for Mark Warburton’s side before a two-month exile followed after a trainingground bust up i n t he aftermath of the 5-1 loss to Celtic in September.

Once Barton became a free agent, a return to Turf Moor always seemed on the cards.

His Burnley debut will be delayed, though, as he must serve a one-game suspension for breaching SFA betting rules. in their