Oliver McBurnie: The 23 goal Swansea striker Garry Monk should ‘bring home’ to Leeds

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Leeds should consider a move for Swansea City’s Oliver McBurnie.

Leeds United manager Garry Monk

Leeds United had mixed success targeting players from Garry Monk’s former club Swansea City last season.

Kyle Bartley was a huge hit, and outweighed the missing contributions of fellow loanees Matt Grimes and Modou Barrow who failed to impress.

Bartley’s impact should persuade Monk to go calling on the Swans again, even if they are unwilling to let the defender go.

A player who should be top of his list is young talent Oliver McBurnie, a striker in real need of first team football.

Swansea City’s Oliver McBurnie in action with Sunderland’s Patrick van Aanholt

McBurnie won the club’s under-23 player of the year award last season, with Swansea’s website last week reporting how he scored 23 goals in all competitions.

These included a brace for the first team in the EFL Cup, but in the Premier League he was not given a chance, given just five substitute appearances.

Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson and Oliver McBurnie look dejected after conceding

McBurnie has worked with Monk once before, who stressed the importance of going to play regularly.

He sent him on loan to Newport County in 2015 where he scored three goals in three games.

McBurnie said at the time, quoted the Telegraph and Argus: “The next step was to go out and get some game time in the Football League. The gaffer (Garry Monk) was really keen on me doing that.

“It’s all good scoring in the under-21 league but it’s not the same as doing it in front of crowds.”

The same argument still stands, and McBurnie’s progress suggests the Championship is the right level for the 20-year-old right now.

What would make the move really tempting for McBurnie, is that he was born in Leeds, beginning his career with Bradford before Garry Monk signed him for Swansea.

Monk is unlikely to be able to sign him permanently but a loan deal could be viable. McBurnie not have much trouble settling in upon a return to Yorkshire.