Kyle McClean

Kyle McClean is a Northern Irish centre midfielder from Belfast, born on 3 October 1998. He developed with Greenisland and Crusaders before moving to Nottingham Forest at 16, progressing from the under-18s to the under-23s. Released in 2017, McClean joined St Johnstone after a trial and made his league debut later that year. In January 2019, he moved to Linfield on loan, helping the club win the League Cup and Premiership before returning to Scotland. After leaving St Johnstone by mutual consent, he re-signed for Linfield permanently in January 2020. McClean has since become a versatile central midfielder, operating in deeper or more advanced roles and combining defensive work with runs into the box. He won six major titles with Linfield and was named Ulster Footballer of the Year and NIFWA Player of the Year in 2024.