Why Sheffield Wednesday’s transfer pursuit of Burnley’s Luke McNally makes sense – for both teams

The 23-year-old hasn’t had much of a look-in with the Clarets since they paid out a decent fee to Oxford United for him over the summer, and it’s thought that he may well be available on a temporary basis in order for him to get more game time.

Darren Moore has identified a centre back as the club’s number one priority in January in what he hopes will be a relatively quiet window for the Owls, and The Star reported this week that they had made an enquiry to Vincent Kompany’s side regarding their Irish defender.

It’s a move that could prove fruitful for both parties – we had a look at why they may be the case.

For Wednesday:

With Mark McGuinness headed back to Cardiff City, the Owls have a gap to fill. McGuinness had been a big success in Wednesday colours during his time at Hillsborough, and many aspects of his game will be missed now that he’s gone back.

One major factor was his aerial expertise, and that’s an element that the 6'4" McNally has in abundance. If you compare their aerial wins per game from last season for the former Oxford man and this season with McGuinness they both sit just over five. They’re also not far apart in terms of their other strengths, and McNally isn’t afraid of having the ball at his feet either.

As a loan there is no long-term commitment from Wednesday, and given their defensive injuries he would certainly fit the bill in terms of plugging a gap.

He knows the division, knows plenty of the players, and – aside from maybe a bit of time getting up to speed completely – should be ready to go soon after setting foot at Middlewood Road should a deal be reached.

For Burnley:

Moore has a good track record with centre backs, and – with him being one himself for so long – has a knack for improving them.

You just have to look at the way that Jordan Storey has performed this season for Preston North End, and the form in which McGuinness went back to Cardiff. It’s a position that the Owls boss knows like the back of his hand, and Vincent Kompany – a former centre back too – would no doubt appreciate the guidance he could give.

A loan with Wednesday would give him experience playing in a promotion push with pressure on each and every performance, and could offer much-needed game time to a player that has featured in just four games across all competitions in 2022/23.

They clearly have a long-term plan for McNally after handing him a lengthy four-year deal, and a loan in a division he already knows well, under a manager with a proven track record, would make sense.

The wait is on, now, to see whether the Clarets fancy doing the deal or not – and whether Wednesday can fend off interest in him from elsewhere if they’re to get their man.

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