Burnley keeper Jensen just keen to play, says agent

The Clarets’ longest serving current player – nicknamed the ‘Beast’ – has told the club he is ready to call time on more than seven years at Turf Moor after losing his place to summer signing Lee Grant in October.

It is only six months since the 35-year-old Dane signed a new two-year contract.

But that was before Grant was reunited with his former Sheffield Wednesday boss, Brian Laws.

And it is the likelihood of his team-mate retaining the gloves long-term, barring injury or suspension, that has forced Jensen’s hand.

“Brian loves the club, he has been a great servant and he had to wrestle with this decision a little bit, but he came to the conclusion that it’s best for his career,” said Mickey Walsh, Jensen’s long-standing representative.

“He would love to be in the team, and I’m sure if he was he wouldn’t be thinking like this.

“But he is a realist. He knows Lee Grant is a good goalkeeper.

“At this stage of his career he wants to be playing and the opportunities look few and far between after the club paid a lot of money for a goalkeeper in the summer.

“He is looking to continue his career and, although no-one can guarantee anyone a place, he thinks there is more of a chance of him playing if it is elsewhere.

“Sometimes with things like this there is never a perfect time.

"It can cause a bit of disruption but that’s not his intention.

"He had to think about his future and what’s best for him and his family.

“It’s not a decision that’s been made lightly. He has thought about it for a long time and feels as though it’s time to have a fresh challenge.

“He hasn’t done it because someone’s knocking on the door.

“Goalkeeper’s of Brian’s quality are pretty sought after so it’s just a case of letting people know.

“In the meantime he will be training just as hard. He is a good pro and he won’t let this interrupt him.”

Jensen, who played all bar the first of Burnley’s 61 games in their promotion season, started the campaign after Laws admitted: “It’s his shirt to lose”.

He succeeded in keeping his latest rival on the bench for the first 13 league games, keeping six clean sheets, but after an excellent Carling Cup performance at Aston Villa, Grant claimed the gloves.

The pair have been described by goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer as “the best two goalkeepers in the Championship” and, with Laws inclined to agree, that is where the problem lies.

“Unfortunately only one of them can be satisfied,” said the Burnley boss.

“Whilst Lee Grant has shown patience and eventually got in, Brian Jensen is at an age where his patience is less. He just wants to play. I understand that.

“I have spoken to him and his agent and he sees January as an important period for him, whether there’s somebody out there who can take him and he can play first team football.

“From my point of view we always want to keep our best players.

“I’ve been in a positive position where I’ve got two quality goalkeepers fighting for the same spot. I would like that to remain.

“We will see how things go.

“At the moment it’s a case of let’s wait and see, and if we have got a decision to make we will make one.”

In dismissing any idea of a bust-up, Laws added: “There’s no problem with the player or myself or anything like that. There’s nothing personal in it; he hasn’t fallen out with anybody.

“He just wants to play and this is the only way he can react.”

It is the second time in Jensen’s Clarets career that he has submitted a transfer request.

The first occasion was in response to former manager Steve Cotterill bringing in Mike Pollitt on loan from Wigan Athletic during the 2006/07 season.

Jensen, who has made 294 appearances since arriving from West Brom in the summer of 2003, was an ever-present in his first season under Stan Ternent.

Since then he has jostled for position with the likes of Danny Coyne, Pollitt, Gabor Kiraly, Diego Penny and now Grant, with whom he formed a friendship when Cotterill signed him on loan from Derby County in 2005.