Sheffield Wednesday would be mad not to attempt to sign Sunderland’s Paddy McNair

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Sunderland’s Paddy McNair has been linked with Norwich City and Derby County.

Sunderland midfielder Paddy McNair is likely to leave the club this summer with Norwich City, Derby County and Stoke City among those reportedly eyeing up a deal for him, according to the Mirror.

But of the clubs listed, it comes as a big surprise to see the exclusion of Championship promotion hopefuls Sheffield Wednesday considering how much of a difference the player could make the Owls’ ageing midfield.

McNair was without doubt one of Sunderland’s best players during a dreadful club campaign which saw the Black Cats suffer a second successive relegation as they finished in the bottom three, dropping into League One.

The former Manchester United youngster didn’t feature all too much as he struggled with injuries, but when he did he looked head and shoulders above his teammates, scoring five goals in 12 league starts.

McNair ended the season with four goals in his last five games, and his impressive bursts are exactly what Wednesday are missing from a midfield which has become quite static and predictable.

The Owls have the likes of Barry Bannan, Kieran Lee, George Boyd, David Jones and Sam Hutchinson for options, but none are young or particularly energetic – attributes McNair in contrast can offer.

The 23-year-old is quick across the ground, comfortable using either foot and loves to drive forward, adding a goal scoring threat from deep which he aptly demonstrated during the final games of the season.

Rated at £5 million by the Mirror, he could be a potential bargain and with continued progression there is no reason why he can’t be worth double that amount in the coming seasons.

The Owls have overspent on ageing players in their bid to reach the Premier League, and such a policy is a dangerous game to play as the likes of Jordan Rhodes now sits on big wages with little re-sale value.

Acquiring a player like McNair would improve Wednesday’s first-team squad and considering his potential, the Yorkshire club can take comfort knowing it would be a solid long-term investment even if they continue to fail to end their long-standing absence from the top-flight.