James McClean ‘to turn up for training’ despite new club’s attempts to terminate contract after just seven months

James McClean will not leave Derry City without a fight amid reports his hometown club wish to rip up his deal.

The 37-year-old returned to the League of Ireland Premier Division side in January to bring an end to his two-and-a-half-year stay at Wrexham.

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McClean first joined the Northern Irish outfit in 2008, where he proceeded to score 18 goals in 88 games – earning him a move to Premier League side Sunderland in 2011.

But after nearly 15 years playing in the English football pyramid, an emotional return to link up with younger brother Patrick at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

However, to say his move back home hasn’t gone to plan would be an understatement.

Why might James McClean be leaving Derry City?

According to the Irish Independent, Derry are bidding to terminate his contract.

It has been claimed that the club have informed McClean of their intention to do so, citing that the veteran midfielder lacks the required ‘physical capacity’.

Though McClean, who has started just 12 of Derry’s 27 top-flight games this season, disputes this claim.

And it is said that the retired Republic of Ireland international will report back for training as he looks to prove his fitness.

In recent days, McClean has taken to Instagram to show himself working out.

While he also took to his story on Monday to Errigal Mountain.

McClean has been left out of Derry’s last two league matchday squads since starting in their FAI Cup second round win over Tolka Rovers on July 19.

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What has James McClean said about Derry City?

McClean has failed to bite his tongue when discussing his unhappiness since returning to his boyhood side.

During World Cup punditry duty for RTE in June, McClean declared that broken promises were made when convincing him to join.

He said: “You have a lot of conversations on the phone, and then you come home and quickly realise that what you hear on the phone is not what you see in reality.

“There are a lot of factors that have contributed to that. I’m going to leave them for another day.”

The former Stoke star also issued a cryptic message hitting out at the club following their Conference League qualifying exit at the hands of Rijeka.

He posted: “[Shamrock] Rovers, Bohs [Bohemians], Shels [Shelbourne], Larne have all progressed through ties in Europe this year.

“We played four, lost four, and sorry, it needs to be said, we have every much as good, if not better, a squad on paper

If you watch the games, the lads aren’t losing these games based on lack of effort, so clearly there is an issue somewhere.

“Given [I] am around it every day and have the CV to give my opinion, I think I’ll give it whether anyone likes it or not.

“If you don’t like it, then you’ll excuse me for not caring about your opinion, given that 99.9 per cent that have a lot to say have never played a professional game in their lives.”

And earlier this month, he went on a TikTok rant to address comments made by former Derry boss Roddy Collins – brother of former world champion Steve – that he was the ‘worst signing’ made in the club’s history.

He subsequently proceeded to mock Collins’ managerial career, while also having a pop at his son Roddy Jr.