Chris Wood has explained why he opted to leave Leeds United and move to Burnley in 2017.
The New Zealand striker departed Elland Road after scoring 27 Championship goals in 2016/17 under the stewardship of Garry Monk.
The Whites led the promotion race for a large portion of the season before dropping out of the play-offs in the final weeks, with Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town among those who leaped above them.
After narrowly missing out on a top-six finish, Monk departed and so two did Wood, with the club accepting a £15million bid for their top goal-scorer.
Having found his opportunities limited with Leicester City in his first crack at the top-flight, Wood explained how the allure of regular Premier League football was impossible to turn down.
“It had been my dream since I was a kid to play in the Premier League,” Wood told The Times when asked about his Leeds exit.
“I had spent seven years in the Championship waiting to get that break and I couldn’t guarantee that I would get another chance.
“I hope most Leeds fans understand that.”
Wood will return to Elland Road for the first time on Boxing Day this year, although he is certain to avoid any reception with all matches remaining behind closed doors.
The 28-year-old has scored 36 goals in 109 Premier League appearances in total and has begun a crucial part of the Burnley team under Sean Dyche.
The Whites failed to immediately replace Wood with another talismanic striker, although Kemar Roofe and Patrick Bamford managed to fill the void after they arrived at the club.
