Duncan McGuire leaves Orlando City to embark on a loan spell with Blackburn Rovers.

McGuire is making the transition to Europe after an impressive season in Major League Soccer, where he scored 15 goals and provided three assists in 37 appearances for the Lions. Despite being selected in the MLS SuperDraft and making an immediate impact under Oscar Pareja, the 22-year-old is now set to move to England.

Yesterday, both clubs agreed on a transfer fee of approximately $4 million, and McGuire was on his way to complete the deal. However, Blackburn initially withdrew from the deal before eventually agreeing to a loan arrangement today, according to MLS insider Tom Bogert of The Athletic.

Bogert explains that Blackburn will pay a $700,000 loan fee for McGuire, with a buy option in the summer valued at $9.5 million.

McGuire’s notable performance, with 13 goals in just 17 starts, helped propel Orlando to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference and secured a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Luiz Muzzi, Orlando City’s executive vice president of soccer operations and general manager, expressed the club’s commitment to providing opportunities for player development.

Orlando City has a history of developing strikers who move to Europe, with McGuire following in the footsteps of Daryl Dike and Cyle Larin. Drafted sixth overall in the 2023 SuperDraft from Creighton University, where he scored 23 goals in 24 games, McGuire shared his excitement about testing himself abroad and acknowledged the support from his teammates, coaches, and the club.

Having made one appearance for the US men’s national team, McGuire joins a Blackburn side in need of attacking reinforcements, currently sitting in 18th place in the Championship. Orlando City’s 2024 season begins with the Champions Cup on February 21 against Cavalry FC, followed by their first MLS match against CF Montreal at Exploria Stadium on February 24.