6:40am Friday 10th July 2009
By Simon Parker
Paul McLaren is poised to return to Tranmere following his Valley Parade exit.
The former City midfielder, who yesterday cancelled his contract, is on the brink of a move back to Prenton Park just a year after leaving the League One club.
McLaren has been offered a two-year deal by new Rovers chief John Barnes and it is understood he will take a sizeable pay cut.
The 32-year-old’s City future had been thrown in doubt since the club announced they were slashing the wage budget by up to £700,000.
McLaren was believed to be the joint highest earner along with Graeme Lee, who last week signed for Notts County.
He made 35 starts last season, scoring three goals, but City fans did not see the best of him.
Stuart McCall said: “Macca is a very, very talented footballer, no doubt about it. He will be the first to admit he didn’t reach the heights he hoped for, especially at home, where teams came and clamped down on him with three in the middle.
“It reminded me of my time at Rangers with Paul Gascoigne. I’m not comparing the two as players but the scenario was very similar, with Scottish Premier League teams flooding the midfield to keep him quiet.
“Macca had some excellent games for us but then again some very quiet ones as well. But I’m not surprised that two or three clubs from League One had been on to us about him.
“I’m disappointed to lose him, as I was about Graeme Lee. I know it had to be done from the budget point of view but both lads will be missed in the dressing room and on the park.”
McLaren was hugely popular during his previous two-year stint with Tranmere and was voted players’ player of the year during his second season, when he also finished with the most goal assists in League One.
His departure has helped ease the cash constraints on McCall, although the City boss is still waiting to find out if he will see any of that money for further team building. He needs two new central midfielders as well as a goalkeeper.
McCall plans to give the whole squad a run-out in tomorrow’s opening friendly against Burnley at Valley Parade.
Guiseley striker James Hanson joined training for the first time yesterday and will line up with four other trialists – Jordan Hadfield, Grant Smith, Steve Williams and teenage midfielder James O’Neill, who was released by Birmingham.
McCall, who will field all his new signings, intends to swap the side around completely at half-time. But he feels the players are all ready for a game.
He said: “It’s the fittest group we’ve had at the start of pre-season since I’ve been here. The test results proved that as well as the training and I’ve been pleased with how they have come back.
“We had a little 11-a-side game yesterday with three halves of 12 minutes and there was a good tempo to it.”
Burnley boss Owen Coyle, like McCall, plans mass changes but the Premier League new boys will parade record £3million signing Steven Fletcher.
The Scotland international striker, bought from Hibs, will be joined by new defenders David Edgar and Tyrone Mears.
Coyle said: “Come the game we are going to be rusty. We’ve only had four full training sessions. It’s just a job of getting the legs going again. I’m sure there will be a lot of mistakes but it will be good just to get up and running.”
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