West Brom swoop for ex Manchester United youth
Paddy McNair Credit: Michael P Ryan (ETPhotos)
West Bromwich Albion have secured Northern Ireland international Paddy McNair on a loan deal from MLS club San Diego.
McNair, a defender and midfielder, brings a wealth of experience to The Hawthorns.
The 29-year-old’s football journey began at Manchester United, where he made his Premier League debut in 2014. He moved to Sunderland in 2016 and later to Middlesbrough in 2018, becoming Middlesbrough’s Player of the Year for the 2020-21 season.
Internationally, McNair has represented Northern Ireland in various age groups and was part of the squad at UEFA Euro 2016. He scored his first international goal in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier against Belarus and has been a key player for his national team.
Paddy McNair expressed his excitement about joining Albion.
"West Bromwich Albion is a very good club and one I’ve always admired," he said.
"I know a lot of lads who have played here in the past and they’ve all said good things about it. I’m really happy to be here."
Reflecting on his career, McNair added, "I’ve played in the Championship for the last seven years so I’ve got a lot of experience in this division."
Head Coach Carlos Corberán shared his enthusiasm for the new signing.
"We’re very pleased to have signed Paddy and we welcome him to our club. He has a lot of experience in this league with Sunderland and Middlesbrough. He’s played just under 350 career matches and he’ll add a lot of maturity and quality to our squad."
Corberán highlighted McNair’s versatility, stating, "He is capable of playing in a number of different positions which will be really helpful for us and really important in a league as demanding as the Championship."
