Top American talent in MLS close to Championship transfer

Orlando City star Duncan McGuire could be the latest American to make the jump to Europe, with a proposed move to Blackburn Rovers near completion. The 22-year-old striker has been a star for Orlando City in his brief time with the first team. In his debut season with Orlando City, he made 29 MLS appearances, and he scored 13 goals. McGuire was a key reason Orlando City finished second among all clubs in Major League Soccer. That was Orlando City’s best finish in its brief nine-season history in the American top flight.

Now, English second-tier side Blackburn Rovers is looking to make a last-minute move in the January transfer window to bring the American overseas. According to Chris Wheatley of National World, Blackburn is shelling out around $3 million for McGuire on a permanent deal. McGuire will travel to the UK tonight to complete the deal.

As things stand, Blackburn is 18th in the Championship table. There is breathing room with the relegation spots, but the Championship has a knack for wild results in the second half of the season. In general, the club’s issues have been defensive. Blackburn has the most goals against in the entire Championship with 53 in its 28 games. Blackburn has not had many issues scoring this season. With 41 goals in league play, Blackburn has more goals than most other clubs toward the bottom of the table.

However, the issue with Blackburn’s goal record is that the majority of the goals come from the midfield. Sammie Szmodics has been Blackburn’s prolific goal-scorer this season. With 16 goals, Szmodics leads the league in scoring. However, he plays out of an attacking midfielder role. It should be a striker to carry the weight of scoring goals. The top-scoring striker for Blackburn is academy graduate and 20-year-old Harry Leonard. Leonard only has three goals in his 19 appearances.

Duncan McGuire would be an out-and-out striker with a keen sense of finishing. Plus, he would be the latest MLS transfer to ply their trade in the Championship.

Duncan McGuire is following footsteps of others with Blackburn Rovers

When looking across the Championship, there are several players that Duncan McGuire can look to for inspiration. Josh Sargent of Norwich City spent the closing stages of his youth career in Europe. However, he eventually moved to Norwich City when the Canaries were in the Premier League. Now that the side is back in the Championship, Sargent has been successful as a striker. He has 20 goals in 75 league appearances.

Also, Haji Wright is now playing in the Championship after moving from Turkey to England. With Coventry City, Haji Wright has eight goals and five assists in league play.

Someone who more closely aligns with Duncan McGuire from Orlando City is Daryl Dike. Dike made 35 appearances with Orlando City before the club loaned him out to Barnsley on the winter transfer deadline day in 2021. Dike made 19 league appearances and scored nine goals as Barnsley lost in the Championship promotion playoffs. With Dike returning to Orlando, Barnsley had the fewest goals in the Championship in the following season, and it suffered relegation. Now, Dike is back from ACL surgery with West Bromwich Albion, which paid over $9 million for him in January 2022. He scored in his return to the squad.

PHOTOS: IMAGO