Online Reporter
Sports Reporter
ENGLAND-BORN Zimbabwean forward Vernon Masara has been retained by Premier League-bound Burnley for the 2025/26 season after he was named the club’s Academy Player of the Season.
The starlet is making progress despite some minor injuries which saw him missing out on some of the games this past season.
Burnley, who have been promoted to the Premier League, have shown faith in Masara, together with two other youngsters.
Masara signed his first professional contract with the club in May last year and has been making steady progress.
He is one of three Under-18 players on a professional contract retained by Burnley.
Masara who was born in the UK to Zimbabwean parents, Anywhere and Lizzie Masara.
Masara mainly featured for Andy Farrell’s Under-21s side in the second half of the 2023/24 season, with memorable moments including a second-half hat-trick away at Crewe Alexandra and a break-away goal against Charlton Athletic at Turf Moor.
However, the Zimbabwean prospect has yet to make his senior debut for Burnley.
Masara has progressed right through from the Club’s academy stages to sign his first professional contract.
The forward, who has developed his game to be able to play on either flank or through the middle, signed a two-year scholarship deal ahead of the 2023/24 season.
His competitive U-18s debut came when he was 15.
That was against Bristol City on August 13, 2022.
Masara netted his first Under-18s goal in a 3-3 draw with Swansea City just over a month later.
The youngster missed the start of the 2023/24 season through injury but has since returned and scored in the LFA Professional Youth Cup victory over Preston North End.
