Latest news with #OliMcBurnie
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Swansea piecing together transfer 'puzzle'
Director of football Richard Montague says Swansea City are piecing together a transfer "puzzle" in their bid to strengthen for next have already agreed deals for winger Zeidane Inoussa and teenage striker Bobby Wales, while defender Ricardo Santos is poised to sign on a free and January recruit Melker Widell will arrive in there is plenty more work to do, with a left-sided centre-back and a defensive midfielder understood to be the club's leading priorities as things are also looking at attacking options – including Oli McBurnie – and remain interested in re-signing Lewis O' may also be further defensive additions depending on which players depart this summer, with Harry Darling's future still says Swansea have discussed a string of potential deals – and is "very confident" Alan Sheehan's new-look squad will be stronger than the one which finished last season. A move for Swansea old boy McBurnie, who is available on a free transfer following Las Palmas' relegation from La Liga, would be an eye-catching one, though much is likely to depend on whether fellow forwards Jerry Yates and Mykola Kuharevich come back into the fold in about McBurnie, who scored 26 goals in 62 appearances in his previous spell at Swansea, Montague said: "I think everybody knows about Oli and his qualities and his situation as well."He is one we have spoken about and will be a name on various lists that we have. He is clearly a very, very good player, but I'd be unwilling to say whether that's progressing or has progressed any further."In theory a lot of things are conceivable, but it depends on where you are not going to spend money elsewhere."Not necessarily talking about Oli McBurnie, but it's all a puzzle where you say how much do we value a particular player, what can he add to us, and how much of our budget should we allocate to any player?" Montague says "all options are on the table" regarding Yates, who impressed during a loan spell at Derby last season but is under contract at Swansea for at least one more year."We need to have proper conversations with him and his agent to discuss what is the best way forward for him. Nothing is decided yet," Montague situation is similar with Kuharevich, who was on loan at Hibernian in 2024-25, while goalkeeper Andy Fisher and midfielders Cameron Congreve and Joel Cotterill are also due back in Wales after loan spells away.O'Brien has gone in the opposite direction, returning to parent-club Nottingham Forest after thriving at Swansea having joined on loan in 26-year-old has expressed an interest in rejoining Swansea, but has a year to run on his contract at the City says there have been "good conversations with Forest" about the idea of O'Brien returning. "They were really good to deal with last season. They sent us a really nice message to thank us for how well Lewis did with us, which was great to receive," he added."The ball is a little bit in their court at the moment because of Lewis' contract situation. He is on a Premier League salary and there needs to be some give in some sense to make it work for us. But it's definitely an option that's still on the table."We are talking to Lewis and having good conversations with Forest. We would love to be able to do something. It's just timing and matching it all up with the financial realities."Swansea have been linked with a move for another midfielder, Lincoln City's Ethan Erhahon, and are thought to have tabled a bid earlier in the Montague has indicated Swansea will not be signing the 24-year-old, saying: "We have talked about so many players and quite a lot have got to the point where we have spoken to agents or clubs. There isn't anything concrete in that one." No interest in Franco yet - and no news on Fulton Montague, meanwhile, says there has been no interest in player-of-the-year Goncalo Franco so far this has been touted as a potential target for clubs in Europe on the back of a fine first season in Wales, but Montague said: "There is so much noise around this time of the year, which is understandable because people need things to write about."But until we have anything concrete, there is nothing for me to say about it. He has obviously had a brilliant season and we would love to keep him here, so let's hope that's what happens."Jay Fulton is another Swansea player who has been linked with a summer exit, with Plymouth Argyle mentioned as potential suitors for the long-serving Montague has suggested Sheehan's squad needs the experience of Fulton following the summer departures of old heads like Joe Allen, Kyle Naughton and Cyrus Christie."Jay did unbelievably well for us when he came into the team at the back end of the season - he gave us some great minutes and is an unbelievable character," he said."He is a senior player, which is probably lacking a bit in that age profile now with some of the key departures we had. He is an important player for us and there is no news about any offers or movement with Jay."
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Swansea City chief breaks silence on Oli McBurnie links and makes admission over strikers
Swansea City chief breaks silence on Oli McBurnie links and makes admission over strikers McBurnie is one of several options being looked at this summer Oli McBurnie is on the radar at Swansea (Image: 2025 Octavio Passos ) Swansea City's director of football Richard Montague has confirmed the club are mulling over an exciting move for Oli McBurnie. The 29-year-old looks set to move on from Spanish side Las Palmas this summer, with the terms of his contract allowing him to leave for nothing following their relegation from La Liga. Swansea have subsequently been pondering a move for the striker, but previous indications have suggested they are yet to make the player any sort of offer, with Hull City and Celta Vigo among the other clubs believed to be keeping tabs. Sign up to the Swansea City WhatsApp service to get breaking news and top stories sent to your phone 'I think everybody knows about Oli and his qualities and his situation as well," Montague said when quizzed on possible interest in the Scot. 'He is one we have spoken about and will be a name on various lists that we have. He is clearly a very, very good player but I'd be unwilling to say whether that's progressing or has progressed any further." McBurnie spent four years with the Swans, netting 26 goals in 62 games, before being sold to Sheffield United for around £17m in 2019. Article continues below His Premier League experience means he's likely to command a healthy financial package from any potential suitor, a point that has already been cited as a possible stumbling block to a reunion with the Swans. However, Montague says a deal is potentially feasible, but suggests it would have a knock-on effect in terms of recruitment elsewhere. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here. 'In theory a lot of things are conceivable," he said. "But it depends on where you are not going to spend money elsewhere. Not necessarily talking about Oli McBurnie, but it's all a puzzle where you say how much do we value a particular player, what can he add to us, and how much of our budget should we allocate to any player." Any move for a striker in this window is likely to depend on what happens with some of the players already in the building, with both Jerry Yates and Mykola Kuharevich returning from loan spells away. Neither player has yet been lined up for an exit, but it seems likely the Swans will listen to offers for the pair. 'I think all the options are on the table," Montague added when quizzed on Yates. "That will be largely dictated by what Jerry wants to do. 'He has had a really good season in a team that was struggling for points so he has done very well at this level. 'We need to have proper conversations with him and his agent to discuss what is the best way forward for him. Nothing is decided yet.' 'It's the same [with Kuharevich]. He had a pretty good season up in Scotland. Article continues below 'But we have attacking players so it's figuring out where everybody fits into that and who is not going to be able to get the minutes they want, which is why I think it's fair to say there will be outgoings at some points in the window.'
Wales Online
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Swansea City fans' forum: Excitement, McBurnie and the obvious signing still needed
Swansea City fans' forum: Excitement, McBurnie and the obvious signing still needed We spoke to some Swansea City supporters about their hopes for the summer and their views on recruitment so far Oli McBurnie is back on Swansea City's radar this summer (Image: Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images ) Swansea City are set for a big summer in the transfer market there has already been a fair amount to digest on the recruitment front. With January signing Melker Widell set to link up with the squad for the first time, the Swans have also added Zeidane Inoussa and Bobby Wales to their ranks ahead of the new season. However, there's likely to still be a fair number of items on the recruitment team's to-do list over the next few weeks. Harry Darling's contract, a possible Oli McBurnie reunion and a squad still demonstrably thin in certain areas. Those are just some of the issues that supporters might well be pondering right now. Sign up to the Swansea City WhatsApp service to get breaking news and top stories sent to your phone We spoke to a handful of fans to get their thoughts on the key issues that have already emerged this summer. Guto Llewelyn - former WalesOnline Swans fan columnist How have you rated Swansea's business so far? Article continues below I think it's always good when you see clubs doing things early in the window. It suggests they have a plan, which is encouraging after several summers that have seemed quite disorganised and frantic at times. A lot of them are unknown quantities and that's the same as it was last summer, which is quite nice. It shows we're looking a little outside the box and in new markets, which I think you have to do because there's not much value in the English market. So looking to Sweden as we've done with Inoussa and Widell and then getting a youngster in from Scotland in Wales, it seems we're looking in different markets for value, which is what a club the size of Swansea needs to do. I think it will be pretty exciting to see Widell. He's a bit of an unknown but he's a Swedish international and the fact we signed him in January knowing we couldn't have him until the summer shows we really, really wanted him, and he's probably going to fill the boots of Lewis O'Brien. So there is perhaps a bit of pressure on him, but it seems that in all likelihood he'll be a really exciting player to have on board. What still needs to happen? My big fear from the positive end to last season was that the club would sit back and say 'oh well everything's fine, we don't need a major overhaul then'. I'm hoping the strong finish under Alan Sheehan doesn't just paper over any cracks because if you look at that squad, it sill looks remarkably thin, and there are several positions that really need strengthening. There are some positions where we've only really got one option, particularly in defence. We've realistically only got one senior centre-back. Darling's position is obviously very, very uncertain. But I think the defence is the main area to bolster even if Darling does commit his future to the club. It's still very, very thin, and I think we were quite lucky last season that we didn't have major injuries at the back. So there's still a lot of work to do, even though we've had a positive start to the window. The Darling saga Darling's been really good for us, particularly in the last year and we don't want to lose him. I think if he stays he has every right to be one of our top earners. But at the same time, there is a wage structure and Swansea can't just promise the world to any player. So if he does go, it will be disappointing but it won't be surprising. If he does leave, it comes down to just finding the best possible replacement. A McBurnie return? I'm all for it. Even though he's older than when he left and he's not managed to replicate his scoring form with the Swans anywhere else I think he'd still have a lot to offer at Championship level, and I think there's more to the modern striker now than just scoring goals. He seems to have actually played reasonably well out there in La Liga without scoring a hatful of goals. But he's been playing regularly even if he hasn't been getting his name on the scoresheet and I think that's because he does actually offer a lot. He's a very difficult player to play against. I think he's the sort of focal point you could build an attack around. Even if he's not banging in the goals, he's still contributing. Then again, I still think at Championship level he's still got goals in him. His is a position we've struggled to get right since Joel Piroe left. I think McBurnie could be a useful player if the figures work for the Swans. Steve Carroll, SOS Fanzine How have you rated Swansea's business so far? It's positive in terms of what's come before. In the past it's felt like we've been a little reactive over the last few years in terms of getting deals done. To get to deals done early is promising. We've probably done more than most in the Championship already. I think the Swedish winger Inoussa could be quite exciting. We haven't had a huge amount of flair in the team over the last few years so if he can help out with that then that would be great. Melker Widell has obviously been included in the Sweden squad, and I know they've maybe been underachieving in recent years, but to have a Swedish international on board can only be a positive. Then there's the Scottish lad with a brilliant surname! He's perhaps more one for the future, but the positive is we're looking more to the future and bringing people in that are perhaps going to have a bit of a resale value, which is something we've maybe been lacking in recent years. What still needs to happen? I think a new centre-half is urgently needed. We've only got one on the books for this season. I know Darling may yet stay, but my instinct is that he won't. So we're probably going to need about three new centre-halves if he doesn't stay. There's urgent work to be done and I'm hoping they get on with that. The Darling saga It sounds like Swansea have made a decent offer, but the longer it goes on the more unlikely it feels that he'll sign. Every club now knows what division they're going to be in next season, so there's nothing to wait for on that front. If he leaves it's a shame, but unfortunately if you let players go into the last years of their contract then you're going to have have trouble. It would be a blow. The first half of the season, him and Cabango did really well, and weren't conceding many goals. But it is what it is now. If he leaves they can't just replace him, they need a little bit of depth there as well. A McBurnie return? I'd be delighted to have Oli back. He's not quite done as well since leaving us, but to be honest, I don't think he's really a Premier League player or a La Liga player. He hasn't really hit the heights at that level, but in the Championship, if he's made the main striker, I'd be surprised if he didn't get 15 goals. We do need a little bit of experience as well I think after losing Joe Allen and Kyle Naughton, so he'd be good for that as well. Nigel Davies - A Touch Far Vetched Fanzine How have you rated Swansea's business so far? It's not really the norm for us to do business this early. So it's good that we've got up and running after the shambles of the January window we had. It feels like there's a little more confidence now that we've put our ducks in a row. I think all three signings excite me to an extent. The Bobby Wales signing looks like one that's full of potential. It's good to have someone British-based, young and with lots of potential. He's obviously very ambitious, and it feels like the sort of signing we would have made when we were coming up the leagues. But I guess the caveat, particularly with the ones from Sweden, is that they may need a season to settle in. We've seen that with Eom Jisung, Zan Vipotnik and Florian Bianchini, all of whom came in and were new to the league. I don't think we'll have the luxury of doing that again this season. What still needs to happen? We need the centre-back situation sorted. We need to get some clarity on Harry Darling and then we'll know if we need to go and get one or two centre-halves that can step in there. If we can keep Darling, and if we can do some sort of deal for O'Brien then I'd be comfortable going into the season ahead. If we lose Darling and we can't get a deal for O'Brien, it leaves us with a lot of work to be done. They're two experienced professionals. They know British football, and this level inside out. They've got a lot of experience between them. The Darling saga It's symptomatic of the way the club had been run. We were hoping Andy Coleman would learn the lessons of Jason Levien and Jake Silverstein before him, but he didn't and we've ended up in the situation again where we're not going to get a deal done before the end of the season, and now you've got a player in the prime of his career who is going to have options all over the place. Many of them will probably have more money than we'll have. It's frustrating and it's disappointing and it's a lesson that I really do hope now that we've learned the hard way. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here. Then again, we've got to draw a line somewhere financially, I don't think we can keep him at all costs. I wouldn't blame him if he went, for argument's sake, go to a Wrexham or a Birmingham. With a young a family, this might be his one opportunity for a big pay day. I wouldn't blame him for that. A McBurnie return? I really, honestly, don't know. Part of me says yes. He was a really hard worker and got us goals. Linked up well with others around him. He's notorious for being a big fan of the club too. Article continues below But his last few seasons haven't been prolific for various reasons. Does he fit in with what we're trying to do? Also, if you push the boat out for him, how does that impact on the rest of the squad strength? It's a difficult one as if he's given a run of games in a Championship side, then I think there's 10-15 goals in him. But it's about what it does for the rest of our transfer plans. For me, if we're going to push the boat out for anyone, it should be for Darling and O'Brien.
Scotsman
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
16-cap Scotland man targeted by four as Europa League club ponder bid despite second successive relegation
The Scotland striker suffered his second relegation in succession - but is wanted by a quartet of clubs. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotland international Oli McBurnie is set to be one of the most in demand strikers of the summer after he emerged as a key transfer target for four clubs despite suffering relegation from La Liga with Las Palmas. The 28-year-old striker spent the last season in the Spanish top flight, alongside Scotland centre-back Scott McKenna, after joining the Gran Canaria-based club on a free transfer after being relegated from the English Premier League with Sheffield United in 2024. However, he is available on a free again this summer due to a clause in his contract enabling him to depart for no transfer fee. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad McBurnie enjoyed a fruitful debut campaign at Las Palmas, providing nine goal contributions in 34 appearances at Estadio de Gran Canaria, though he could not prevent their demotion to the Spanish second-tier as he suffered the disappointment of back-to-back relegations with two separate clubs. Scotland striker Oli McBurnie is now playing his football with Las Palmas in La Liga. | Getty Images Despite his double relegation, the 16-cap Scotland international is set to be one of the most in-demand strikers in this summer's transfer window, with up to four clubs set to be ready to rival each other for his signature - including one club set to play in the UEFA Europa League next season. According to a new report from Alan Nixon, the 28-year-old has attracted interest from two of his former clubs, with both Swansea City and Sheffield United both hoping to add the Las Palmas striker to their ranks next season, alongside fellow EFL Championship club Hull City. However, all three clubs could be gazumped with Europa League outfit Celta Vigo ready to battle the trio by launching a bid that would see McBurnie remain in La Liga. It is claimed that head coach Claudio Giráldez González wants to add further depth to his squad after leading his side to the Europa League, with McBurnie said to have made enough of an impression in La Liga to warrant significant interest in his services. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Scotsman
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
16-cap Scotland man targeted by four as Europa League club launch bid despite second successive relegation
The Scotland striker suffered his second relegation in succession - but is wanted by a quartet of clubs. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotland international Oli McBurnie is set to be one of the most in demand strikers of the summer after he emerged as a key transfer target for four clubs despite suffering relegation from La Liga with Las Palmas. The 28-year-old striker spent the last season in the Spanish top flight, alongside Scotland centre-back Scott McKenna, after joining the Gran Canaria-based club on a free transfer after being relegated from the English Premier League with Sheffield United in 2024. However, he is available on a free again this summer due to a clause in his contract enabling him to depart for no transfer fee. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad McBurnie enjoyed a fruitful debut campaign at Las Palmas, providing nine goal contributions in 34 appearances at Estadio de Gran Canaria, though he could not prevent their demotion to the Spanish second-tier as he suffered the disappointment of back-to-back relegations with two separate clubs. Scotland striker Oli McBurnie is now playing his football with Las Palmas in La Liga. | Getty Images Despite his double relegation, the 16-cap Scotland international is set to be one of the most in-demand strikers in this summer's transfer window, with up to four clubs set to be ready to rival each other for his signature - including one club set to play in the UEFA Europa League next season. According to a new report from Alan Nixon, the 28-year-old has attracted interest from two of his former clubs, with both Swansea City and Sheffield United both hoping to add the Las Palmas striker to their ranks next season, alongside fellow EFL Championship club Hull City. However, all three clubs could be gazumped with Europa League outfit Celta Vigo ready to battle the trio by launching a bid that would see McBurnie remain in La Liga. It is claimed that head coach Claudio Giráldez González wants to add further depth to his squad after leading his side to the Europa League, with McBurnie said to have made enough of an impression in La Liga to warrant significant interest in his services. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
