Blackburn Rovers are now set to land a deal for Orlando City striker Duncan McGuire, according to Mike McGrath of the Telegraph.
The striker, who has made one appearance for the USA national team, is currently flying into England to undergo a medical ahead of his permanent move to Lancashire. A fee has been agreed between both clubs.
Duncan McGuire is just 22-years-old and has made 37 appearances for Orlando City in his professional career so far, scoring 15 goals in that time.
The fee in question is set to be £2.3 million according to a report from Chris Wheatley yesterday. Rovers look set to be bolstered by the £22 million fee they will receive from Adam Wharton’s sale to Crystal Palace, which is a club record.
With the transfer deadline tomorrow night, Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side have moved quick to get the deal done. The American striker will be fighting for a spot alongside Sammie Szmodics, with the future of Englishman Sam Gallagher still not resolved. The striker has been linked to Ipswich Town.
Blackburn were not the only club interested in signing the forward, with Sheffield Wednesday also registering an intrigue in his signature during the window. The offer from the 1995 Premier League champions was reported to be more favourable in regards to the payment structure.
There was also international interest for the player, with Danish club FC Midtjylland also in the race to sign him. They had been tracking him since he broke into the Orlando first team according to Tom Bogert of the Athletic.
McGuire’s proposed new side are currently 18th in the Championship table, just five points above the drop zone. His debut could be in their next game against QPR at home. A win will be vital when it comes to their hopes of staying in the division this season.
A deal is now subject to the completion of a medical and the signature of the contracts.
Writer’s View
McGuire’s goalscoring record in the MLS is impressive, and they are the type of numbers that could fire Blackburn to safety in the second half of the campaign. Szmodics has 16 goals so far this season but the nearest player to him after that only has five. There is a clear need for more in the side.
Having two goalscorers could be a major boost to the team as they look to fire their way up the table, and with 13 MLS goals in 29 games, the striker from Omaha Nebraska could be the catalyst they need.
