Michael Jolley has beaten off competition from a host of clubs to clinch a deal to bring young Burnley defender Bobby Thomas to The Progression Solicitors Stadium on loan.
The highly regarded 19-year-old prospect was in huge demand but has now agreed a deal which will see him remain with The Bluebirds until the end of the season.
Thomas has been with The Clarets since 2017 when he joined the club on a two-year scholarship after previously spending time on the books at Everton and Crewe Alexandra.
He prospered during his second season with Burnley, developing in to a real leader for the club’s Under-18 side and earning a call-up to the Under-23s at the beginning of 2019.
The talented teenager went on to become a mainstay of the side, producing some commanding performances in the centre of defence for Steve Stone’s Under-23s.
His form not only earned him the Clarets’ Young Player of the Year award for 2018/19 but also saw him rewarded with his first professional contract at Turf Moor.
Thomas continued to make excellent progress last term and was promoted in to the First Team picture during ‘Project Restart’, making the squad for the final nine games of the Premier League season before making his debut in the Carabao Cup in September.
Now boss Sean Dyche is keen for the promising youngster to get some senior experience under his belt and Michael Jolley has used his connection with the Burnley boss to secure the deal to bring Thomas to Cumbria.
Thomas follows in the footsteps of Burnley teammate, Jimmy Dunne, who also had a successful loan spell with Barrow during the 2017/18 campaign.