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Crouch set for Premier League return with Burnley, Vokes joins Stoke City

Martin Rickett/EMPICS Sport

Former England international Peter Crouch is returning to the Premier League at the age of 38 with Burnley, while striker Sam Vokes is leaving the Clarets to join Stoke City, the clubs announced on Thursday.

Crouch, 38, signed a short-term deal with Burnley until the end of the season, while Vokes, 29, has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Stoke.

Crouch was part of the Stoke team relegated to the second tier Championship last season but has not started a game since September.

Former Tottenham and Liverpool forward Crouch has played for six Premier League clubs in his career and scored 108 top-flight goals, while also winning 42 caps for England, scoring 22 goals between 2005 and 2010.

"I still want to achieve things," Crouch told Burnley's website. "I want to get more games and I would love to add to the 100 Premier League goals.

"My game has probably changed a little bit. I'm not 25. But my attributes haven't waned. I never really had blistering pace, so I haven't lost that. I know I can impact games at this level."

Despite Crouch's age, Burnley manager Sean Dyche believes the lanky forward can be useful in his team's battle against relegation.

"There's no issue about his fitness and I think he has an intention and a desire to still make a mark in football," he said.

"We know what a good character he is and he still has that edge. We know he's an effective footballer and he has a hunger to come here and make a mark," he added.

Vokes, who waved goodbye to Burnley fans after the 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday, has struggled to secure a regular starting place of late at Turf Moor.

The Wales international won two promotions to the Premier League with Burnley in his seven seasons with the club, scoring 62 goals in 258 appearances.

The 29-year-old joined the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers and was part of the Wales team which reached the semifinals of Euro 2016.

"It's great to have it finally done," Vokes told the Stoke City website on Thursday afternoon. "It has been a long day and a lot of waiting around but I am delighted -- I just can't wait to get started now.

"This is a great club, a Premier League Club, a club which is striving to get back to the Premier League. You can see how great the squad is here and it is a challenge I am really looking forward to getting stuck into.

"The Championship is a really tough league so it is all about putting together a great squad, and we have that here. Burnley was a huge part of my life, I really found my home there and I made a lot of good friends there, but it was time for me to move on -- and what better club to do that with than Stoke City."

Information from Reuters was used in this report.