Don Goodman, a Sky Sports pundit, spoke exclusively to Football League World about Sheffield United’s interest in signing highly regarded Hull City defender Charlie Hughes.
Sheffield United’s Championship season begins on Saturday at Bramall Lane against Bristol City, but the start of the new season is unlikely to cease their transfer activity.
The Blades have been connected with Charlie Hughes, a highly-rated Hull City defender, as a replacement for Anel Ahmedhodžić, who left for Feyenoord in the summer.
Ahmedhodžić joined the Blades in 2022 and helped the club win promotion to the Premier League in his first season. He was named the club’s captain in December 2023 and went on to make over 100 appearances for them before moving to the Netherlands in June for a whopping £15.6 million. Hughes, who had a successful 2024-25 season with Hull City, is regarded as an ideal successor.
Goodman: “I would see Charlie Hughes as a very decent addition if they can get him”
Football League World interviewed Sky Sports analyst Don Goodman to determine if Hughes would be a suitable alternative for Ahmedhodžić. He praised Hughes’ potential, stating, “He’s a highly-rated, exciting talent, still young at 21 years old.” However, he noticed a slow decline in Ahmedhodžić, the player Hughes will replace. He was great and brilliant in the first season, when we were all like, “Who’s this?”
Goodman speculates that Ahmedhodžić may have been negatively affected by Sheffield United’s poor performance in the 2023-24 Premier League season. Although he was decent, I didn’t think he was at the same level last season as he had been in the Championship.”
But the Sky Sports analyst believes Hughes could be a fantastic addition to the Blades’ club if he can be signed: “They got good money, which gives them a good opportunity to reinvest it, and I would see Charlie Hughes as a very decent addition if they can get him.”
Getting Charlie Hughes away from Hull City could be a struggle
Sheffield United may have to fight to get Charlie Hughes to Bramall Lane. Hull City have already rejected two bids for the defender from Coventry City, according to Hull Live. While the rejection of the Sky Blues’ offers for the player is good news for the Blades, the rationale for the rejection isn’t, with Hull Live reporting that the Tigers are “unwilling to sell their star man to a Championship rival.”
Hughes’ potential is undeniable, having progressed through the nurseries of both Manchester City and Liverpool before moving to Hull from Wigan Athletic for an undisclosed sum of around £3.5 million in August 2024. Coventry is reported to have offered offers of £4 million and £7 million. Hughes’ development as a player was one of Hull’s few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing 2024-25 season that nearly resulted in relegation to League One.
| Charlie Hughes’ 2024-25 season at Hull (Sofascore) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearances | Minutes Played | Goals | Assists | Average Rating |
| 28 | 2348 | 1 | ||
Sheffield United may be able to outbid Coventry for Hughes’ signature, although both teams will have to consider Hull’s unwillingness to sell the player. It may take significantly more than £7 million to gain this player’s services, assuming it is achievable at all.
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