ROBBIE Brady has revealed the chance to link up with Jeff Hendrick at Burnley was a ‘massive plus’ when making his £13million deadline day switch to the Clarets.

Brady became Burnley’s record buy on January 31, taking the mantle from his childhood friend Hendrick, who had become the Clarets’ first eight-figure signing five months earlier.

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The Republic of Ireland internationals, who were born just over two weeks apart, played for Dublin club St Kevin’s Boys together from the age of seven and progressed through the Irish youth teams before earning senior recognition.

Their paths diverged when they moved to England, with Brady joining Manchester United as a youngster and Hendrick heading to Derby County. But they are reunited at Turf Moor and Brady is looking forward to regularly lining up alongside his close friend.

The duo are yet to feature in the same Clarets team with Hendrick currently suspended having been sent off in the 2-1 defeat at Watford.

He serves the final game of his three-match ban against Hull City on Saturday, so the pair could be reunited at Swansea City on March 4.

“It’s a massive plus him being here,” said Brady of the opportunity of playing alongside Hendrick in a club side for the first time since they left St Kevin’s Boys.

“It’s not something you think about too much but when the opportunity came around it was a great story. I’m happy to be playing alongside him, he’s a top quality player and a great lad."

The pair invited their St Kevin’s Boys coaches to the draw with Premier League leaders Chelsea, when Brady netted a stunning free-kick on his debut in a 1-1 draw.

The former Hull winger admitted he was delighted to be playing alongside childhood pal Hendrick adding of their friendship: “It goes back as long as I can remember, back when we were kids. We’ve been good mates all the way up.

“The last six months he has been here he has filled me in on what a great time he has had and how much he has enjoyed his football.

“Teaming back up with him was an extra plus for me coming here.”

Of their time together in Dublin, Brady added: “We were seven years old. I was already playing for them (St Kevin’s Boys), I just arrived, and then Jeff came in.

“We’ve been good mates since then, we’ve kept in touch and grown up together and here we are now, it’s fantastic.”

Brady and Hendrick might be facing a wait to be reunited at club level, but they have started the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifiers against Serbia, Georgia and Austria since September, while they also started all four of Ireland’s Euro 2016 fixtures together.