New Sheffield Wednesday striker Charlie McNeill has revealed that the Owls’ interest in him dates back to last year following his arrival at Hillsborough last week.
The 20-year-old found himself as a free agent at the end of last season after being released by English giants Manchester United. The attacker had long been touted as the next big thing at Old Trafford, having enjoyed a stellar youth career which saw him net over 600 goals.
Having excelled for the Red Devils’ under-18 and 21 teams, he was handed his first team debut as a late substitute in the Europa League clash with Real Sociedad in 2022. This was then followed with his first taste of regular senior action with a loan move to League Two outfit Newport County.
His time with the Exiles was a relative success. With two goals in 20 appearances, he earnt himself a move to League One last season with Stevenage. However, this proved disastrous, featuring just three times before Manchester United cut the deal short in January.
With his contract ticking down at the Theatre of Dreams, it was unclear what the next step in his career would be. It appears as if Wednesday had been keeping tabs on the youngster for some time though, with McNeill claiming that he first heard about their interest last year. Speaking to club media, via Sheffield Wednesday News, he said:
“I want to try and play a lot of games this season.
“That’s what I’m hoping for. I know that I’m not going to play every game because it’s a massive squad and there are very, very good players in it. So it’s going to be hard every week, everyone is going to be pushing each other, but as soon as I heard the interest from Wednesday last year I was watching out for them and hoping they stayed up.”
Continuing, the ex-England youth international said that he hopes to make an impact at his new club, even if his appearances are limited to coming off the bench:
“Hard work every game, honest performances, trying to get goals and assists and helping the team – even if I’m not playing, if I’m coming off the bench and making an impact. I just want to help the squad in every way possible that I can.”
Writer’s View
It’s easy to write off Charlie McNeill, especially after his ill-fated stint at Stevenage. However, doing so would be wrong and there is an extremely talented young player there.
Danny Rohl is building a squad capable of achieving a higher finish than last season.The 20-year-old will have plenty of competition in the attacking areas but may be seen as a player they can mould into a regular starter in the future. Some may view this as a risky signing, but time will tell.
