Dwight McNeil should reject a potential move to Everton or Newcastle United this summer and stay with Burnley, the winger’s father has told The Sun (12 June, page 54).
Could a fresh-faced, Rochdale-born talent be about to follow in the footsteps of Paul Pogba?
Back in the summer of 2016, Manchester United paid a staggering sum of money to bring the France international back to Old Trafford, four years after he packed his bags and left the Premier League giants on a free transfer.
McNeil, too, has gone from strength to strength after leaving United on a free. And, like Pogba, he has been tipped to return to the Theatre of Dreams for a massive fee after proving himself elsewhere.
The Mail claims that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side want him back after a superb season at Turf Moor, though they will face competition from Everton and Crystal Palace.
Newcastle have also been linked with the £35 million-rated, England U21 international, via LancsLive.
‘Stay put’
But, with first-team football all-but guaranteed at Burnley, McNeil has been reminded that the grass is not always greener elsewhere.
“He’s doing really well. It would be best for him to stay put at the moment,” said Matty McNeil, a former professional footballer who represented Macclesfield, Stockport and Chester.
“That’s instead of him going to a top team and just sitting there and getting drip fed into it. He’s got to keep working hard and listening to his manager and coaches.
“I believe with improvement he can be good enough for the top teams.”
McNeil is a joy to watch in full flow, an old-school left-winger who loves nothing more than beating a full-back and whipping an inch-perfect cross into the penalty area.
He has five assists to his name this season.
In an exclusive HITC feature last year, we uncovered why McNeil left Manchester United – and how he nearly ended up at Burnley’s bitter rivals Blackburn Rovers.
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