Sheffield United link with Oli McBurnie sees Swansea City chief open up on potential move
Oli McBurnie is a wanted man following his departure from Las Palmas
Sheffield United’s raft of posts on social media celebrating Oli McBurnie may well have been just to wish the former player a happy birthday earlier this week but it certainly sent tongues wagging amongst Blades fans.
The striker is a free agent after a season in Spain with relegated Las Palmas and was back in town this week playing golf, just to make sure that rumour mill kept running.
United have, of course, been linked with bringing McBurnie back to Bramall Lane where he was a crowd favourite - for most - and made 159 appearances for the Blades, scoring 29 goals in a five-year spell.
It is not thought that the club have made an official approach to the 29-year-old at this stage as United look to take a fresh approach to recruitment under their new owners.
If they do, they will find a challenge in bagging the former Scotland international.
Swansea City, another former club whom McBurnie still holds a close affinity to, were also linked and their director of football has now opened up on the chances of their old boy making a return to South Wales.
“I think everybody knows about Oli and his qualities and his situation as well," Swansea City's director of football Richard Montague told Wales Online.
“He is one we have spoken about and will be a name on various lists that we have. He is clearly a very, very good player but I’d be unwilling to say whether that’s progressing or has progressed any further."
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Can Swansea City affford Oli McBurnie?
McBurnie’s 26 goals in 62 games prompted United to fork out a then record fee for the forward after promotion to the Premier League under Chris Wilder first time around.
That experience in the top flight as well as a season in La Liga means that McBurnie won’t come cheap in terms of wages but Montague says Swansea could work around that if need be.
“In theory a lot of things are conceivable," he added. "But it depends on where you are not going to spend money elsewhere. Not necessarily talking about Oli McBurnie, but it’s all a puzzle where you say how much do we value a particular player, what can he add to us, and how much of our budget should we allocate to any player."
McBurnie is also understood to be wanted by Hull City.
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