How is Duncan McGuire getting on after failed Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday saga? | OneFootball

It was a dramatic January transfer window once again this season, with plenty of deals getting done, but others also fell through.

However, few could compare to Duncan McGuire, who didn’t manage to secure a transfer from Orlando City in the winter window despite late interest from Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn Rovers.

Duncan McGuire’s failed transfer

The USA forward emerged as a real target for the Championship duo as the deadline got closer, with Blackburn initially in the driving seat.

But, financial issues saw that deal stall, with reports then claiming that the Owls were pushing to bring McGuire in.

Yet, in another twist, it was Rovers who then had everything agreed with the MLS side, and it appeared as though he would be part of Jon Dahl Tomasson’s squad moving forward.

That wouldn’t be the case though, as another incredible U-turn was in store, as officials at Ewood Park failed to submit the paperwork on time, and despite an appeal, the decision was made, so McGuire headed back to the US, and this was a factor in Tomasson's departure.

Duncan McGuire continues with Orlando City

That may have been difficult for the player to get around, but, to his credit, McGuire started the season with Orlando City, and he has made some contributions in the opening weeks of their campaign.

The 23-year-old has scored two goals in three MLS games, with both coming in a defeat to Minnesota. As well as that, he got on the scoresheet in the victory over Canadian side Cavalry in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

However, Orlando fell to defeat in the next stage of the competition, as they were beaten by Mexican side Tigres earlier this week, with McGuire coming on as a substitute in the loss.

Duncan McGuire’s future

Whilst McGuire has gone back to Orlando and started the season with them, the long-term future is unclear for the attacker, as his contract is expiring at the end of the year, so there is an expectation that clubs will be back in for him in the summer.

Blackburn have already made it clear that they were hoping to reach a pre-contract agreement with the one-cap USA international, so talks are expected between Rovers and his representatives in the coming months.

However, it goes without saying that the Championship side will now face much more competition for McGuire’s signature, as he is sure to be seen as an attractive option for clubs across the world when you consider that he is available for a cut-price or potentially on a free.

Ultimately, McGuire's future is going to be in his hands, as he will get to make the call on where he wants to go next, and moving to England is clearly something he wanted to do.

It remains to be seen whether Blackburn or Wednesday will go back in for him when the window opens later this year, although you would expect they need to secure their Championship status to stand a chance.

Given the way his deal fell through, you can be sure that those connected to Rovers will be watching on with interest to see how McGuire’s career plays out, and whether the paperwork failure turns out to be a very costly mistake.