Grant McCann on his way to Linfield to pair up with manager Warren Feeney

IT is being seen as a major coup for the Blues with experienced Northern Ireland midfielder Grant McCann is expected to complete a free transfer from Peterborough United to Linfield later today.

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson had admitted that the 34-year-old needed to leave the League One club if he wanted to play more regularly.

At the weekend Linfield manager Warren Feeney said he was closing in on a player who knew the game inside out.

Former West Ham player McCann has 39 Northern Ireland caps.

Feeney, a former international team-mate of McCann’s, will see the signing as a significant boost to Linfield’s challenge for the Irish Premiership title.

The Windsor Park club are currently second in the table, one point behind Crusaders
McCann, who has become a fans’ favourite at Peterborough, recently combined his playing role with a coaching position at the club’s youth academy.

He is no longer a first team regular, but manager Ferguson insisted there had not been any fall-out.

“Grant wants to play every week, but I think he would be better off doing more coaching,” Ferguson told the Peterborough Telegraph.

“I have a lot of younger midfielders at the club and I think that is the way to go, and Grant respects that totally.

“Grant has done a great job with many of our younger players, but if he wants to carry on playing regularly then he might have to leave.”