Portsmouth and Oxford United are both suffering at the bottom of the Championship standings and are anxious to add to their squads.
Pompey are only three points and two places ahead of the U’s in 21st place, with John Mousinho’s second season in the second tier of English football proving difficult – and injuries aren’t helping matters.
Both clubs might use some defensive reinforcements for the rest of the season to stop leaking goals, and an experienced EFL centre-back has surfaced on their respective transfer lists.
Portsmouth and Oxford United are interested in signing Paddy McNair on loan.
Football League World can exclusively reveal that former Middlesbrough player Paddy McNair is a January transfer target for both Portsmouth and Oxford, with a loan return to the EFL on the cards.
The 80-cap Northern Ireland international is presently playing for MLS club San Diego FC, which he joined as a free agent in the summer of 2024, ahead to the team’s inaugural season in 2025.
San Diego finished first in the Western Conference table in their inaugural season, but were defeated by the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Western Conference play-off final – McNair played regularly enough when he was fit and available, making 25 MLS and play-off appearances in his first year on the other side of the Atlantic.
McNair, 30, has been a fixture in Northern Ireland’s defence since his transfer to the United States and might potentially return to the Championship, where he has played for a number of different clubs over the years.
McNair spent the majority of his time in the second tier of English football with Middlesbrough, making 198 appearances over six years before his contract expired in the summer of 2024, having previously played for Man United and Sunderland.
McNair’s contract with San Diego does not expire until December 2027, and the MLS season for 2026 would not begin until March, so he might now make a temporary return to England until the conclusion of the season, with Pompey and Oxford keen in striking a deal.
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