A high-ranking executive from English club Blackburn Rovers is set to travel to the United States this week to scout Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire and will seek to reignite talks for a summer transfer, sources briefed on the arrangements tell The Athletic.
Orlando City has made a new, enhanced contract offer to McGuire as well, sources add. Contract talks in the winter didn’t get very far, with the two sides far apart then. McGuire and Orlando host Lionel Messi and Inter Miami on Wednesday.
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Blackburn twice had a deal agreed for McGuire at the end of the January transfer window, only for both deals to fall through. The first was a permanent deal that was scrapped when Blackburn’s ownership told the front office to pull out of any negotiations, then the second, a reworked loan deal, fell through due to an administrative error.
Blackburn did not correctly submit the transfer paperwork ahead of the deadline, despite McGuire having completed his medical and signed the contract. McGuire then returned to Orlando.
GO DEEPER
How Duncan McGuire's move to Blackburn fell apart twice
The club’s secretary left the club this week after an investigation into that failed move, and Blackburn had already changed managers since McGuire’s failed deal, with John Eustace taking over for Jon Dahl Tomasson.
The English side narrowly avoided relegation, finishing 20th in the Championship. With their season over and status confirmed, they are beginning to make plans for the 2024-25 season and McGuire remains at the top of their list.
McGuire, 23, has six goals in just over 800 minutes so far this season. He has had to deal with more competition, with Orlando bringing in forward Luis Muriel from Atalanta. Muriel struggled early on this season, but has also shared the field with McGuire plenty.
The center forward made his senior U.S. national team debut in January and has been a regular with the U-23 United States side ahead of the Olympics this summer.
(Photo: Caean Couto-USA TODAY Sports)
