West Ham United must secure Dwight McNeil deal amid ‘transfer mischief’ suggestion
West Ham are reportedly interested in signing Dwight McNeil from Burnley and the Hammers must get the deal done this summer.
According to Sky Sports (via their live transfer blog on Wednesday; 01:02PM), the Burnley winger is keen to leave the Clarets this summer as he wants to play in the Premier League.
The Hammers could face competition from London rivals Crystal Palace, with Burnley set to demand at least £15 million for the former England Under-21 international.
According to Chris Boden, a journalist working for Burnley Express and well-connected within the club, Burnley are not in “talks with anyone” about McNeil.
Writing on Twitter on 20 July, he suggested that “some typical transfer mischief” is going on at the moment, possibly aiming a dig at the Sky Sports report.
However, that shouldn’t stop the Hammers from making a concrete move for the young talent.
It seems West Ham are likely to miss out on Jesse Lingard who is one of their top targets.
The 29-year-old could be on his way to Premier League newcomer Nottingham Forest this summer, although the Hammers are still in the race.
In case, the Hammers fail to secure his signature, they must quickly move elsewhere, and McNeil would be a fantastic addition.
The 22-year-old has come through the youth ranks at Burnley and has made 147 appearances for the club already.
Sean Dyche hailed him as “terrific” on 5 March after Burnley lost 4-0 against Chelsea.
He is a classy player who is technically very sound. He loves to dribble past players and has an eye for goal.
Most importantly, his peak years are ahead of him, and David Moyes can make him even better.
Capable of playing behind the striker as also in various attacking midfield positions, he would be a superb addition to the club.
If West Ham fail to sign Lingard, which is a possibility, they should make an attempt to sign McNeil.