Steve Bruce’s Newcastle United reportedly want to raid Premier League rivals Burnley for wicked winger Dwight McNeil.
Joey Barton has admitted that he expects big things from Burnley winger Dwight McNeil amid claims that Newcastle United want to sign the Turf Moor starlet, speaking to the Clitheroe Advertiser.
Eleven months ago, little-known McNeil made his first start in the claret and blue kit of Sean Dyche’s Burnley. And the signs were there at the time that Turf Moor was witnessing a star being born.
The former Manchester United youngster was superb in that ill-fated Europa League qualifier against Olympiakos, lighting up an otherwise frustrating night with his exceptional deliveries from the left hand side.
That exceptional display certainly wasn’t a one off either. McNeil ended the 2018/19 season as one of the first names on Burnley’s team sheet and, according to The Sun, Newcastle are now willing to pay £15 million as they look to beat Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus to his signature.
And former Magpies midfielder Barton, who tried and failed to sign McNeil on loan for Fleetwood Town last summer, believes McNeil has the natural talent to go far in the game.
“If we’d have got him, we’d have had a player on our hands,” said the Cod Army coach, who spent time at Burnley when McNeil was rising through the ranks.
“But having almost got him on loan, I’ve been watching his development and going ‘God, if we’d got him, that would have been alright! He’s kicked on and looks a real prospect.”
With the giant Joelinton arriving at Newcastle from Hoffenheim for a club-record fee, signing a winger with such devilish delivery would surely help to get the best out of a 6ft 1ins centre-forward.
And with Steve Bruce introducing a new 3-5-2 system since replacing Rafa Benitez at St James’ Park, McNeil looks a perfect fit for the wing-back role on the left-hand side. Having said that, it would be a major surprise if Burnley sold their most promising youngster in recent memory.
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