League One side Stevenage FC are on the verge of completing the loan signing of highly rated Manchester United forward Charlie McNeill, according to The United Stand.
The 19-year-old forward has been on the lookout for a League club that could provide him with regular first-team football, rather than spending the season playing for the club’s Under-21s.
The move is set to be confirmed ahead of tomorrow’s 11 pm transfer deadline, with a medical expected to be completed today according to reports in Manchester Evening News. McNeill will be joining his former Manchester City teammate Finlay Burns in the Boro squad, who is also spending the season on loan with Stevenage.
McNeill would mark Stevenage’s 14th summer signing and joins a front line that also includes Jamie Reid, Aaron Pressley, Josh March and Elliott List. The Hertfordshire-based side have started the season well and currently find themselves fifth in the table despite Boro boss Steve Evans being linked to the vacant Hibernian managerial position in recent days, but is likely to stay according to reports from north of the border.
The young striker started his career with Manchester United before moving across to rivals Manchester City in 2018, however, he returned to the Red Devils in 2020 in a deal worth a reported £750,000.
He made his debut in a Europa League fixture against Real Sociedad in September 2022 and spent the second half of last season on loan at Newport County, scoring twice in 20 League Two appearances.
He is an instinctive finisher and hopes to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Jamie Vardy, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney, all of whom gained experience in the EFL before breaking into their respective first teams.
Writer’s View
McNeill comes highly rated and adds another striking option for a Stevenage side who have already battled significant injury problems this early into the season. He has an exceptional scoring record at youth level so it will be intriguing to see if he could have similar success in the EFL.
New arrival Aaron Pressley limped off injured in Boro’s 0-0 draw with Portsmouth last weekend and could be set for a spell on the sidelines, so McNeill will be competing with Elliot List, Jamie Reid and Josh March for a position in the starting lineup away at Leyton Orient this weekend.
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