SUFC Transfers: Spotlight on unknown United transfer “target” as rivals also eye deal
Sheffield United’s new owners have made no secret of their desire to use a data-based approach to recruitment, after dipping their toes in the water with the AI-led signings of Jefferson Cáceres and Christian Nwachukwu in the last transfer window. But that must be balanced with an appreciation for the intangibles that statistics don’t measure, with the Championship a notoriously difficult introduction to life in English football for players experiencing it for the first time.
United’s 2025/26 Championship finish predicted alongside rivals
United have always used data to shape their recruitment, going back to the days of Paul Mitchell as their head of recruitment, but the landscape appears to be shifting at Bramall Lane, with a 21-year-old Senegalese defender the latest to be linked with the Blades this week.
FC Sion’s Gora Diouf is set to leave the Swiss League this summer when his contract expires, with United’s Championship rivals West Bromwich Albion – who are also adapting a statistical approach to recruitment as they look for their next manager – also said to be keen, along with Swansea City amid uncertainty over the future of out-of-contract defender Harry Darling.
Diouf, described as a strong and quick left-sided central defender, is also on the list of some clubs in Turkey while the likes of FC Basel are keen to keep him in Switzerland. A trio of French Ligue 1 clus have also had a look at Diouf as they look to pick up a bargain free transfer they can develop for the future.
The website Africa Football said of Diouf: With his contract with FC Sion expiring in 2025, he could seize this opportunity to move up a level and join a more prestigious club. His speed, technique, and goal-scoring skills make him an attractive prospect for teams looking to invest in young talent.”
United could soon be on the lookout for central defensive reinforcements if, as suspected, Anel Ahmedhodzic moves on this summer. Boss Chris Wilder went on record earlier in the season to suggest that promoton would help convince the Bosnian to stay at Bramall Lane, as he prepares to enter the final year of his Blades deal later this summer.
Sheffield United reach for Plan B in transfer market after play-off final heartbreak against Sunderland
Rob Holding’s loan spell from Crystal Palace also expires this summer while skipper Jack Robinson was scheduled to become a free agent at the end of this season, although he is understood to have triggered a fresh deal due to the number of appearances he made for the Blades this season following Harry Souttar’s untimely season-ending injury.
United travelled to Wembley with two lists of transfer targets in their pockets, one for if they became a Premier League club and another if they were sentenced to another season in the Championship. It is the latter that will be reluctantly utilised but United can’t afford to waste time feeling sorry for themselves, with 22 other Championship clubs knowing their divisional status at least three weeks earlier and able to get a head-start on their future plans as a result.
Leave a Reply