Mariners poised to unveil Burnley rookie O’Neill on season-long loan

Burnley’s Australia Under-23 midfielder Aiden O’Neill could be unveiled as Central Coast Mariners’ latest acquisition as early as today, on a season-long loan from the Premier League club.

0’Neill, 20, has made five senior appearances for the Lancashire side, and has had loan spells with Oldham, and most recently fellow League One outfit Fleetwood Town.

With first team opportunities limited under Sean Dyche at Turf Moor, Central Coast offer the chance of regular first team football, with O’Neill a ready-made replacement for Daniel De Silva who has joined Sydney FC on loan.

The box-to-box workhorse left Brisbane for Burnley in 2014, and had a solid season with Fleetwood in 2017-2018, making 27 appearances in all competitions for the club now coached by the controversial ex-Burnley midfielder Joey Barton.

While he could have opted for loan spells in England’s lower tiers, it’s understood that working with former Manchester United assistant coach Mike Phelan in Gosford was a draw card in his decision to return home for the A-League season.