SUFC News: United eyeing transfer move amid uncertainty over “ambitious” star
Dunne is set to become a free agent next month as things stand after failing to agree a new deal at Loftus Road, and United are thought to have kept his name on their list of potential transfer targets ahead of the new Championship season. United’s failure to regain their Premier League status could signal the departure of Anel Ahmedhodzic, who enters the final year of his current contract on July 1.
Boss Chris Wilder admitted earlier this season that United’s hopes of keeping hold of the Bosnian could rest on their divisional status next term, while Rob Holding will return to Crystal Palace after the expiry of his loan deal. The former Arsenal man also impressed coaching staff at Bramall Lane with his attitude, and a reunion is thought to not be out of the question amid his ongoing exile at the FA Cup winners.
As we revealed at the time, United’s winter offer for Dunne was understood to be around the £2m mark as Wilder chased centre-half reinforcements following the body blow of Harry Souttar’s season-ending Achilles injury. But QPR stood firm, despite the likelihood of the player walking away for nothing a few months later, and United instead brought Holding to Bramall Lane.
“We made a bid for Jimmy and it got turned down,” said Wilder. “He wasn’t our player and QPR have every right to do what they needed to do in that particular moment. For a player out of contract in the summer, we put a reasonably good bid in. We obviously like the player because if we didn’t, we wouldn’t have put a bid in.
“But QPR have every right to turn that down and they turned it down. And we moved on, and I’m delighted we’ve got Rob in. He’s been outstanding … he’s got great experience, it’s been great for me and the coaches to have him around the group. and he’s settled in well. He’s a popular member of the group and he’s a really good player.”
As things stand Ahmedhodzic will become a free agent next summer, with United’s previous policy seeing them sell players who have entered the final year of their current contracts. That approach left them behind the eight-ball ahead of their last Premier League campaign, when Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye moved on on the eve of the season start, but Ahmedhodzic is expected to be a player in demand again this summer.
Speaking back in April about the defender’s future, Wilder admitted: “I do think it’s dependent on what happens at the end of the season, because these are ambitious boys as well, but we have to secure longer-term contracts for our players. It is really difficult, and I know there was a massively difficult situation with Illy and Sander.
“We can’t, as a club, allow players to run their contracts down. It is really important from a financial point of view that we protect ourselves. The price the club paid for him, around £3m, was an absolute steal and his market value has got to be three or four times that now. He’s someone we’d like to build around and I’m sure we’ll have that opportunity, especially if we get to where we want to be come the end of the season.”
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.
Read more on;https://www.sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply