"Wouldn't be comfortable" - Norwich City given Kenny McLean warning amid Sheffield United transfer links | OneFootball

The Canaries' fan pundit fears that selling the Scot this summer would be a mistake

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Norwich City have been urged not to sell Scottish international midfielder Kenny McLean this summer, amid reported interest from fellow Championship side Sheffield United.

New boss Johannes Hoff Thorup is in the midst of an important summer as he looks to go one better than his predecessor David Wagner and take the Canaries back to the Premier League next season, and he has already been active in the transfer market in the last few months.

Panamanian defender José Córdoba joined from Levski Sofia last month to become the club's first signing of the summer window, and first arrival under their new 35-year-old head-coach, while Greek flop Christos Tzolis has sealed a permanent exit from Carrow Road to Fortuna Dusseldorf.

The club will be braced for more interest in their top players, including Kenny McLean, who has long been courted by Rangers and is now seemingly wanted by Sheffield United's potential new American owners, according to transfer journalist Alan Nixon via Patreon.

The 32-year-old, who has been with the Canaries since moving from Aberdeen in 2018, has since helped them to promotion to the Premier League in 2019 and 2021, and is still as important as ever to their midfield.

Norwich City fan pundit reacts to Kenny McLean transfer rumours

McLean has two years left on his existing Canaries contract, and Nixon's report states that it would take a 'chunky fee' to prise him away from Carrow Road in the coming weeks.

FLW's Norwich City fan pundit Zeke Downes believes that the Scotland international is too important for the club to sell this summer, and it would not make sense for him to move to Bramall Lane.

"With Kenny McLean, I wouldn’t be comfortable with him moving to another Championship club, especially one that I don’t think is going to be doing very well next season," he said.

"He was instrumental for us last year, and we haven’t got a player that can replace that.

"I don’t think the Sheffield United interest is something we should be entertaining."

Norwich must not sell McLean

Interest in the 32-year-old is not something new to the Canaries - TEAMtalk reported last summer that he was being tracked by Leeds United, with former-Norwich boss Daniel Farke a big admirer, but the move did not come to fruition.

Along with a potential move to Sheffield United, rumours surrounding his departure to Rangers have also been constant throughout this summer so far, but it is imperative that the Canaries do not allow him to leave.

McLean has been the heartbeat of Norwich's midfield for a number of years - he is not showing any signs of slowing down too, after playing 52 games, his most in a single season so far at the club, and featuring in all of their league matches in 2023/24.

He was instrumental in both of their 2018/19 and 2020/21 promotion seasons, and even took on the captaincy throughout last season under Wagner due to Grant Hanley's injury struggles.

McLean was named Norwich's Player of the Year for 2023/24, despite having to sometimes play at centre-back, demonstrating his strong rapport with the Canaries fans and their appreciation for his consistently good performances.

It would make little sense for the club to sell him this summer given his importance to the team, and new boss Hoff Thorup will surely want to keep someone of his stature around as he is a certainty to be able to rely on in potentially tough moments.

Given his age, the fee he could command would also not likely come close to what Norwich truly value him at, so supporters will hope all rumours are soon put to bed, and he is lining up in yellow and green at Carrow Road next month.