JAY Rodriguez admits sealing his return to Burnley is ‘surreal’.

The Clarets academy product is back at Turf Moor having completed his move from West Bromwich Albion in a deal understood to be worth an initial £5 million with a further £5m in add-ons.

The 29-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the option of another 12 months.

Rodriguez left the club for Southampton in a £7m deal in 2012 having scored 41 goals in 129 appearances.

Now he’s back and admits that playing for his hometown club once again is a source of great pride for both him and his family.

“It’s great to be back,” said Rodriguez, who spent two years with the Baggies. 

“It’s been a while and it is a little bit surreal, but it’s something I am really happy about and I just want to get working hard now.

“All my family and friends are here and it’s where I’ve been brought up and where I’m from, so to come back is brilliant for me and my family.

“I really enjoyed my time at West Brom and met some great people and made friends for life there.

“Every club I’ve been to has meant a lot to me and I think I’ve grown from the experiences, but I’m here and ready to go and it’s all about the work now.”

Rodriguez is back in claret and blue having scored 22 goals last season as West Brom came close to a return to the top flight, losing in the play-offs to Aston Villa.

A clause in his contract meant that with the Baggies not Premier League-bound, he could leave for a cut-price fee.

Burnley have now got their man having made a concerted effort to sign Rodriguez last summer, seeing a £16 million offer knocked back.

The one-cap England international, his Three Lions appearance coming against Chile at Wembley in 2013, made his full Clarets debut 12 years ago having come through the ranks under youth coach Terry Pashley.

The club’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year in the 2010-11 season after scoring 15 goals, 21 the following season attracted the attentions of Southampton on their promotion to the Premier League.

Now back at Turf Moor as a senior figure, Rodriguez still believes he is improving.

“I think back to being here years ago and your career goes so quickly,” he told the club website.

“I remember Terry telling me that it would go in the blink of an eye and it makes you realise how quickly football does move.

“But I am excited to get back. To represent your home-town club in the Premier League is a dream for any lad and I am going to grasp that with both hands.

“The main thing is to work as hard as I can and try to improve.

“I am still hungry and I still feel I can improve all aspects of my game, physically and technically, and I just want to keep doing that.”