Pundit tips Sheffield United to beat Burnley & Blackburn Rovers in McBurnie transfer battle | OneFootball

FLW spoke exclusively to Carlton Palmer to get his thoughts on Sheffield United, Burnley, and Blackburn interest in Oli McBurnie.

Carlton Palmer believes Sheffield United are the likeliest to win the race for Oli McBurnie, with Chris Wilder's side reportedly eyeing up a homecoming after he departed the club in the summer for Las Palmas in La Liga.

The latest comes via Alan Nixon, who claims that the Blades are one of a list of promotion challengers to queue up for McBurnie's signature, joining Burnley and Blackburn Rovers, who were both credited with an interest last week.

The trio are all chasing promotion out of the Championship, so it's fair to say that if McBurnie does elect to return to England, then he won't be short of suitors from many of the teams eyeing the Premier League. McBurnie has plenty of experience at both second tier and top-flight level as well.

Carlton Palmer's verdict on Oli McBurnie amid Sheffield United interest

Ex-England international and current EFL pundit Carlton Palmer believes McBurnie would be best placed at Bramall Lane, given his previous working relationship with Wilder, albeit game time is likely to be the biggest determining factor.

Speaking to Football League World, Palmer said: "Sheffield United have made their interest known that they want Oli McBurnie back to the football club. He's also being linked with the likes of Burnley and Blackburn.

"I would think that with Chris Wilder, given the way that Wilder manages, that Oli McBurnie would like a return to Sheffield United.

"When you look at it, Sheffield United are still in second spot and on 49 points, which is only two behind Leeds. Burnley are on 48 points and third spot. So, I would think, looking at it, that Blackburn have got a lot of work to do.

"I'm super impressed with John Eustace and Blackburn. They are fifth in the table on 38 points and he's doing a fantastic job. However, it's where McBurnie is going to play regularly.

"If he sits down with Wilder and he's not going to play football and be sat on the bench, then I say he's going to find that very difficult. He wants to play football.

"I think Wilder would still have the upper hand, because the Blades are doing well as well. But so are Burnley, so are Blackburn. They will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

Oli McBurnie return to Sheffield United would make a lot of sense for all parties

With the recent takeover of the club completed, it's fair to say that the Blades won't sit still this winter in the market.

Sheffield United's squad has been ravaged by injuries, which has been more detrimental given the size of the first-team heading into September and the close of the summer window.

Reinforcements are needed in a variety of positions, and improving their output in attack could be the difference between a play-off place and automatic promotion.

It was Wilder who invested heavily to sign McBurnie back in August 2019, spending a whopping £20 million to sign him from Swansea, so it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see the Sheffield United boss put yet more faith in the frontman in January.

McBurnie departed Bramall Lane in the summer, so a romantic return could be viewed as his most likely move.

Not only is adding goals of importance to Wilder, not only to strengthen his own squad, but to prevent their rivals strengthening with a man who he knows will find the back of the net at this level.