A central midfielder from Newtownabbey, Kyle played his youth football with Crusaders up until the age of 16 before he was scouted and signed by Nottingham Forest. He initially joined Forest’s u18s before breaking into the u23s, however he was released at the end of the 2016-17 season after a couple of seasons at the City Ground.

Former Linfield goalkeeper Tommy Wright then signed McClean for St. Johnstone following a successful trial period. The then 19-year-old signed as a first team player and made 13 appearances before heading on loan to Linfield in January 2019. McClean impressed on loan at Windsor Park in the second half of the 2018-19 season, winning a League Cup and an Irish Premiership title. He scored a vital last-minute winner in a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Coleraine in a home league fixture – his first goal in Linfield colours, and one of real importance.

McClean – who’d often have attended Linfield matches as a kid – returned to St. Johnstone in the summer of 2019 and extended his contract by a further year. However, despite featuring regularly in the Saints’ friendlies and early season fixtures, he left the Perth club on September 2 by mutual consent. Registration rules meant that the midfielder could not play competitive football until January. David Healy brought McClean back for a second spell at Linfield, this time on a permanent basis as he signed a two-and-a-half year deal in November 2019.

The former Northern Ireland U17, U19 and U21 International made his second Linfield debut in a 8-1 home premiership victory over Glenavon on January 25, 2020, and won the League title for a second time.

In his third season at Windsor Park – the 2020-21 season – McClean made it three league titles in three seasons as the Blues did the League and Irish Cup ‘Double’. However, he suffered a serious ACL injury in a match against Warrenpoint Town in March 2021 and would subsequently miss the following nine months of action.

McClean returned in December of the 2021-22 season. Eleven days after returning, he scored a stoppage time equaliser against Cliftonville at Solitude in a Co. Antrim Shield tie which the Blues would go on to win on penalties. Despite the injury, he still made 24 appearances that season as he won the League for a fourth consecutive season.

At the beginning of the 2022-23 season, McClean opted for a change of squad number, changing from 18 to the number 8 shirt, which had been vacated the previous January when Trai Hume transferred from Linfield to Sunderland. He nailed down a starting spot, making 49 appearances in the 22-23 season and won the League Cup.

The 2023-24 season saw McClean take his game to a new level as he swept up the top individual awards, such as Ulster Footballer of the Year, NIFWA Player of the Year, and Linfield Player of the Year, whilst making the NIFL Premiership Team of the Season. McClean scored a career-best 14 goals, including two in an Irish Cup semi-final victory over Glentoran at The Oval. He won the League Cup for a third time and was named Man of the Match against Portadown in the final. McClean’s form was rewarded with a new contract.