Desired Premier League jewel Sheffield Wednesday must take note of the Owls case study

The 20-year-old striker is set to become a free agent at the end of June and could yet become Sheffield Wednesday’s fourth summer signing.

Danny Rohl has already welcomed Ben Hamer and Max Lowe to S6 on free transfers this summer, bringing in Yan Valery as a permanent signing from French outfit Angers.

But the Owls boss now looks set to strengthen his front line following the departure of loanee Ike Ugbo and the likely exit of Josh Windass as a free agent later this month.

McNeill is believed to have suitors elsewhere in the Championship but Sheffield Wednesday are said to be firmly in the race for his signature.

And maybe McNeill doesn’t have to look far to see that Why should choose a move to Hillsborough over anywhere else this summer.

The forward could even call on one of his former Manchester United Academy teammates for advice, with Di’Shon Bernard standing in for McNeill just last summer and opting to join Sheffield Wednesday.

Di’Shon Bernard at Sheffield Wednesday

Defender Bernard, 23, was let go from Manchester United last summer without ever making a Premier League appearance for the club.

The Jamaican international has been at a crossroads following a fairly uneventful loan spell. But he found his place in Sheffield.

Bernard made 32 league appearances last season and was a key component behind the Owls’ eventual 20th-place finish under Rohl.

He is currently set to become a free agent at the end of June amid interest from the top flight and overseas.

After just one season at Hillsborough, Bernard is now a key player for Jamaica, who just played in the Copa America this summer and is bound for a move to a new club, if not a new contract in S6.

Can Charlie McNeill have the same success at Sheffield Wednesday?

McNeill is in much the same situation at Bernard last summer, after several loan spells and perhaps a desire to leave United and finally start his career.

Sheffield Wednesday are in desperate need of strikers, so there will likely be plenty of game time available for McNeill and already strong competition for him to go up against Bailey Cadamarteri.

Not only that, but Rohl was able to drastically improve almost every player last season, although it was mainly the offensive ones.

Windass bounced back and showed his class after a slow start to the campaign. Cadamarteri improved greatly under Rohl’s watch. Michael Smith has even shown his worth and Ugbo has scored seven goals in 18 games after scoring four in 20 for Cardiff City in the first half of the campaign.

So for McNeill there is the Bernard case study, and then some, which could tempt him to join forces with Rohl and Sheffield Wednesday this summer and test himself in the ever-popular Championship next time around.