Sheffield United have signed another highly rated young talent.
Sheffield United have signed another of their promising young players, defender Jamal Baptiste, to a new deal.
The 21-year-old arrived at Bramall Lane in pursuit of first-team opportunities after leaving Manchester City, and he made his debut on the bench against Cardiff City last season in December, before starting against the same club the following month in the Blades’ FA Cup defeat to Cardiff.
Baptiste started his career at West Ham before moving north, and he has been capped by England at the Under-19 level.
The Londoner overcame a potentially crippling ailment as a teenager to continue his football career after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare and deadly autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks peripheral nerves.
The condition is more frequent in men, and Baptiste was identified following a bout of glandular fever. He had no idea he had it at first, but he found training sessions at West Ham more difficult than usual, and he felt like he was being “held back by a sack of sand” as he attempted to sprint.
After leaving Manchester City, Baptiste tried out for Portsmouth during the preseason but decided to join Sheffield United instead. After being on the outskirts of the first team, he will now be looking for additional opportunities in the Championship.
Sheffield United has young players under contract.
United have continued their long-standing practice of promoting young players, with Sydie Peck joining Ollie Arblaster in making frequent appearances in the first team.
Ryan One has also been around the squad, and the striker signed a new contract last summer that will keep him until 2029.
Forward Louis Marsh signed a new contract earlier this year, which will last until 2028. The length of Baptiste’s contract was not disclosed, but the club stated that the player has “committed his long-term future to the club.”
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