TURF Moor new boy Marco Gentile today revealed his burning desire to play First Division football with Burnley.

The MVV Maastricht defender put pen to paper on a three-year deal at Turf Moor last night as Burnley sensationally snapped up the 28-year-old up for free under the Bosman ruling.

It marks a genuine coup for Clarets manager Adrian Heath who was today celebrating his first major capture of the summer.

Gentile, nephew of former Italian and Juventus star Claudio, said: "It is a dream of mine to play football in England and I am deeply honoured to play for Burnley.

"There is a great feeling about the place and as soon as I saw Turf Moor I knew I wanted to sign.

"I want to help them into the First Division because that is where a club of this size belongs.

"It was a big decision for me leaving the Netherlands and signing a long contract because my club MVV have just won promotion to the Dutch First Division and will be playing Ajax and PSV Eindhoven next season.

"There was a contract on the table for me to sign in Holland but I knew the chance of joining Burnley was too good to miss.

"I was very impressed with what Adrian Heath had to say when we first spoke in Holland.

"He is a very ambitious and bright young manager with a lot of positive thoughts about football and what he wants for Burnley. I'd like to be part of those plans.

"I am going home to Holland for a holiday and then I will be back in a couple of weeks to get some accommodation sorted out in Lancashire. I can't wait to pull a Burnley jersey on and get cracking. I know I have made the right decision by joining Burnley."

Gentile turned his back on lucrative offers from Belgium, France and Switzerland to sign for the Clarets.

He added: "I am so honoured to be coming to England to play football because this is the spiritual home of football. "I thought the chance had passed me by after I was all set to join Leicester City when Mark McGhee was manager there a couple of years ago.

"The deal fell through at the last minute and that was one of the biggest disappointments of my life. I had sold my house in Holland and I was all set to move until a last minute hitch.

"Now my dream has come true and I will be playing in England with Burnley next season. I am determined to do as much as I can to help Adrian Heath and Burnley."

Gentile spent nine years with Den Haag before his move to Maastricht and Heath has no doubt he has landed a quality player.

"We are making a big financial commitment but the Bosman ruling has enabled us to pick up a player of real quality," added Heath.

"I am very excited about the signing because Marco is a player who can play in several positions on the field.

"He is a very adaptable footballer and has a great reputation as a superb man-marker.

"Marco was as keen as mustard to sign and I delighted to have him on board. MVV were very keen to keep him in Holland, especially after their promotion.

"It would have taken an awful lot of money to buy him and we've got a very good player here.

"I think it is a name to get the fans talking and I'm sure they will like what they see when they see Marco in action on the pitch for the first time next month.

"Personally, I can't wait to see him playing in a Burnley shirt."

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