JOSH Benson has signed a new deal with Burnley.

The young midfielder has been rewarded for the way he has embraced making the step up to the first team set-up by penning a deal until June 2023, with an additional 12-month option.

Benson, 21, made his Premier League debut last month after playing three times for the Clarets in the Carabao Cup this season.

“I feel like it’s the start of my career and I need to build on this,” he said.

“I’m really happy here. I’ve worked hard for this and now I just want to crack on and focus on my football.

“It’s been a great few weeks.

"I’ve been getting more confident, playing the games, and now the club has shown faith in me I feel even more confident and hopefully I can push on and deliver on the pitch.”

Benson joined Burnley's Academy in 2018 following his release from Arsenal and impressed at Under-23 level before joining Grimsby Town on loan last season, where he made 11 appearances for the League Two side before the campaign was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic.

His Clarets career has progressed this season with his first Premier League coming against Manchester City at the end of November. He then came off the bench as the Clarets drew their next game, at home to Everton.

Benson, who was among the substitutes on his return to former club Arsenal when the Clarets recorded a famous win on Sunday, added: “It’s been a big transition moving up north and I’ve enjoyed it here.

“It’s a great club and I feel like I’ve matured a lot, developed as a player here, and realised it’s a different life from being a boy to a man, moving away from home.

“Being at a Premier League club has been a dream of mine and now I’m training regularly, being on the bench and starting to get some minutes with the first team it’s becoming a reality.

“I just want to be the best player I can be and play as many games as possible.

“This is just the start and I want to build on it and hopefully earn more contracts in the future.”

Benson joins Turf Moor team-mates Jay Rodriguez, Matej Vydra, Ben Mee and Ashley Westwood in signing new deals this season.