BURTON Albion Football Club can confirm that striker Liam Boyce has joined Scottish Premiership side Hearts for an undisclosed fee.

The club rejected two bids in the January transfer window for the Northern Irishman but, with Boyce’s contract expiring in the summer, the club have worked to get the best possible deal for the player.

Boyce leaves the Brewers having scored 22 goals in 78 league games for the club after joining the Brewers from Scottish Premiership side Ross County in the summer of 2017.

The 28-year-old suffered an horrific knee injury that summer but battled back to fitness and has led the line along with Lucas Akins for the club since then.

And manager Nigel Clough wished Boyce well in his new move, and is pleased we have already secured two forward players in the window to bolster our attacking options.

“We have reluctantly accepted the bid from Hearts - with four or five months left on his contract, there wasn’t much choice for us, really,” said Clough.

“It’s very difficult when a player has a few months left, difficult for the player and the club, as he would go on a free in the summer so we have to make a decision on whether we take some money now for him.

“We thank Liam for his two-and-a-half years of service with us, and we’re delighted that we signed him.

“He got the injury after the first few weeks which was a big blow for him and us, but he’s been a very good player for us and we wish him all the best for the future.

“We already have a replacement in Lucas Akins straight away, and we’ve brought in two forward players in Joe Powell and Jamie Murphy.

“We can make Lucas our number one striker now.”