Man Utd decision helped land Burnley £20m from Everton and more: View | OneFootball

Burnley's decision to sign Dwight McNeil following his release from Manchester United as a youngster turned out to be an outstanding piece of business.

When Dwight McNeil was released by his boyhood club Manchester United at the age of 14, it is unlikely that he would have predicted the football career that was in store for him.

He had been developing in United's youth teams after they had spotted him at the age of five. Within a week of his release, he was training with Burnley.

McNeil spent the next few years working hard in Burnley's under 18s and under 21s squads, and his perseverance paid off when he signed his first professional contract with the Clarets in April 2018.

The promising winger made his Burnley debut in a 2-1 defeat against AFC Bournemouth at Turf Moor on the final day of the 2017/18 Premier League campaign, as the Clarets secured a 7th place finish and European football the following season.

McNeil starred for Burnley

McNeil played against Aberdeen in a 4-2 aggregate victory during Burnley's Europa League qualification campaign in 2018. He was on the bench as Burnley beat Basaksehir 1-0 over two legs, and started the second leg of the 4-2 aggregate defeat against Olympiacos as the Clarets just fell short of reaching the group stage.

He became the first teenager to score a Premier League goal for Burnley when he put the seal on a 2-0 victory over West Ham in December 2018, during his second ever start in the top-flight.

The 24-year-old made 147 appearances in all competitions during his time at Burnley, scoring seven goals and providing 17 assists. While his attacking output could have been better during his time with the Clarets, he was a key member of Sean Dyche's team in the Premier League.

In 2020, he signed a new contract until the summer of 2024.

Burnley's faith in McNeil paid off

Burnley's decision to sign McNeil when he was a teenager was justified by his performances on the pitch, and it eventually paid off financially too.

The winger joined Everton from Burnley for £20m in the summer of 2022. McNeil's move to Goodison Park made him the sixth most expensive departure in Burnley's history, behind the likes of Chris Wood and Andre Gray.

McNeil has been a regular starter during his two seasons on Merseyside. The winger has scored 10 goals and registered nine assists in 71 Premier League appearances for the Toffees.

He has played against Burnley three times since departing Turf Moor and has won on each occasion. The winger assisted two goals during the games against his former club.

McNeil has faced Manchester United 13 times in his career, winning just once with Burnley at Old Trafford and tasting defeat 10 times. He has never contributed to a goal against the club he played for during the early stages of his life.

Burnley will be delighted that they signed McNeil after he was released by Manchester United all those years ago. He contributed on the pitch during a successful period in the club's history and commanded a significant transfer fee when the time came for him to leave the club.