FORMER Burnley loanee Jack Cork has spoken of the 'massive decision' to join Southampton.

Cork said at the end of last season that he would consider rejoining the Clarets, where he had spent the last 18 months on loan from Chelsea.

However, Burnley were unable to agree a fee and will now have to make plans without a player who was a key part of their midfield last term.

Cork yesterday signed a four-year deal with the Saints after the move, which is thought to be in the region of £750,000, was finalised.

Cork said: “I came down and met the chairman and the manager today and I’m really happy to get it sorted.

“This is a big part of my life now in moving away from Chelsea. It was a massive decision to make.

"I had another year left at Chelsea, but I’ve been wanting to get away for a while and have been waiting for the right move to present itself.

“There were other teams in for me but this always felt like the right option because this club is really going places and heading in the right direction.”

Cork previously had a temporary spell at Southampton, also working with their boss Nigel Adkins while on loan at Scunthorpe, and Saints have displayed their ambition in the transfer market in recent weeks – offering as much as £3.25m for Doncaster’s Billy Sharp, even if the striker turned the move down.

The news will undoubtedly come as a blow to the Clarets, even though they secured Chris McCann to a new two-year contract last week.

Boss Eddie Howe had said earlier in the summer that he was keen to have both Cork and McCann in his squad, should finances allow.

Cork had long been eager to join his new club, whoever that was to be, near the start of pre-season rather than spending the summer back at Chelsea.

As a result, both Chelsea and the player this week realised they could wait no longer to make a decision, knowing clubs had had two months since the end of the season to match the Blues’ asking price.

Cork previously had a temporary spell at Southampton, also working with their boss Nigel Adkins while on loan at Scunthorpe, and Saints have displayed their ambition in the transfer market in recent weeks – offering as much as £3.25m for Doncaster’s Billy Sharp, even if the striker turned the move down.