WANDERERS won’t have to do much homework on two of Swansea City’s chief attacking threats tomorrow.
Top-scorer Oliver McBurnie and chief creator Bersant Celina have both been on Phil Parkinson’s shopping list in the past – only for Bolton to be priced out of the equation on both occasions.
Target man McBurnie played under Parkinson and Steve Parkin at Bradford City and was one of the first players the Bolton boss turned to when he was looking to bolster his attack last season. Instead, the young Scottish international signed on loan for Barnsley.
Celina was made available by Manchester City last summer and even posted a picture of Wanderers’ stadium on social media as an indication of his next move. Again, the deal failed to materialise and he ended up playing at Ipswich Town before a £3.5million move to South Wales this summer.
There was a tinge of regret in Steve Parkin’s voice as he described his former Valley Parade charge, who has scored seven times this season, including three in his last two starts.
“I think Phil tried for him a couple of times,” he smiled. “He always had good attributes at Bradford and scored goals. He was tall and rangy.
“He needed to get stronger and maybe needed to get a bit quicker but he certainly had that eye for goal in training. To see him doing well is a real feather in his cap because he’s bided his time, gone out on loan, then had a successful period at Barnsley.
“Since getting back into the team at Swansea he’s done really well, so we’ll have to keep our eye on him.”
Parkinson handed McBurnie his professional debut in the FA Cup exactly five years ago, in a 3-0 defeat to Rotherham United.
Asked whether he can make the transition from Championship to Premier League regular, Parkin believes his success in a Swansea shirt this season will be a big indicator.
“I haven’t seen enough of him over the last 18 months to say for sure but if he keeps scoring goals he won’t do himself any harm,” he said.
“He needs to prove himself at this level first. And it’s a big step from Championship to Premier League, just as we saw from League One to this level.
“He’s got all the attributes to do well, and he’s at a big stage in his career.”
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