Former Burnley midfielder Steven Hewitt believes Dwight McNeil should stay at Burnley for the foreseeable future.

In an exclusive interview with Tribal Football the 26-year-old, who now plays for NPL Victoria side Hume City in Australia, said the Clarets winger should not take the support and trust of his current manager Sean Dyche for granted.

McNeil, a former Manchester United junior, has been monitored by several Premier League rivals this season, including his old club and Everton. It's also emerged that Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is interested in tempting the winger south this summer.

Hewitt's own Burnley career ended after he struggled to break into the first 11 following the club's promotion to the Premier League, and after some bruising experiences warming the bench he had some choice advice for the club's newest star, McNeil.

"If it was me, I would stay at Burnley," he said. "They're not the greatest team in the Premier League, but he's playing week in, week out, whereas if he makes a big money move to, say, Manchester United, then he's going to have that big price tag on his head.

"That's added pressure, and because he'd be with big players, he might have one bad game and then he's out of the team and losing confidence. So me personally, I would stay at Burnley. Sean Dyche loves him, he trusts him, so I would stay at Burnley as long as possible."

However, Hewitt added that McNeil would be wise to leave the club should Burnley's place in the Premier League come under threat.

"If they looked like they were getting relegated, or were relegated, then I'd say go away. Move. Get back in the Premier League," Hewitt said. "But he's happy at Burnley, so just stay there for another one or two seasons. It's not a long time, but an extra two seasons under his belt, that would be my advice."