SHEFFIELD United have signed Barnsley captain Brian Howard in a £500,000 deal - despite a Tykes bid to keep him as their highest paid player, it was revealed tonight.
The 25-year-old midfielder, who would have been out of contract with Barnsley at the end of the season, will join the Blades on loan until January.
It is expected to become a permanent move when the transfer window opens.
The announcement was made by Barnsley FC in a statement on thier website at 7pm.
Barnsley manager Simon Davey said he had a "fantastic relationship" with Howard and the club had been involved in his development – but it was time to move on.
What do you think? Post your comments below. Details of the move were confirmed as a loan fee of £200,000 and a further £300,000 to be paid when his transfer is completed.
Other improved conditional payments have been agreed based on United's original offer, including sell-on arrangements.
It has also been agreed between the clubs that Brian Howard will not play against Barnsley FC in the period of his loan to Sheffield United.
Reds bosses said they had taken the unusual steps of making a number of statements tonight – given the amount of speculation this week about Howard's move.
They revealed they were prepared to make him the club's highest paid player in a bid to keep him and they denied any fall out between Howard and manager Simon Davey.
They also confirmed that two clubs had been bidding for him this week but said there had been no other offers during his Oakwell career.
"The club has now received a formal response from Brian Howard's agent that their client does not wish to consider any alternative offers that might be put to him from other clubs and wishes only to join Sheffield United,'' said the statement, on the Club's web site.
"In the event that Brian Howard had agreed to enter negotiations for a new contract, the Board were prepared to make him the highest paid player to-day.
"There has also been speculation that the manager Simon Davey has had a fall-out with Brian. This is simply untrue. Simon has always had the highest regard for Brian as a player and a captain and has played him in every match this season until it was confirmed by the player directly that he was irrevocably committed to moving on.
"Brian Howard has been an outstanding player for Barnsley FC over recent seasons and we wish him well for the future. However, the well-being of Barnsley FC going forward is always the top priority and we invite the fans to move forward and get behind the current team in our campaign in the Championship.
Howard reiterated his desire to join Sheffield United after Barnsley dramatically blocked his switch to Bramall Lane this week.
Kevin Blackwell's side had hoped to unveil the midfielder as their latest new signing before their win at Doncaster Rovers only for their South Yorkshire neighbours to prevent Howard from completing his move.
The delay was believed to have been caused by attempts to re-negotiate clauses in the £500,000 transfer and allowed Charlton Athletic to submit what officials at Oakwell described as "an acceptable offer."
But Howard, who passed a medical at United before Blackwell's players travelled to Doncaster, said his heart remains set on United.
Although United refused to respond publicly to a tersely worded Barnsley statement, sources close to the promotion hopefuls were still confident Howard would arrive on loan in time for Saturday's visit of Bristol City before completing a permanent move in January.
Media reports pre-season linked the Blades with Howard, who scored the winner in the Tykes famous FA Cup win at Liverpool earlier this year.
He has also been linked recently with Charlton, Wigan, Bolton Wanderers and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Howard started his career as a trainee with Southampton but never made a full appearance before signing for Swindon Town in 2003 - making his debut against Sheffield Wednesday.
He signed for Barnsley in the summer of 2005 and was named Barnsley Player of the Year for the 2006–07 season, after scoring eight goals in the battle against relegation. He then signed a new contract extending his stay at Oakwell until 2009.
Howard was acting captain for most of last season, due to the absence of Paul Reid. Davey appointed him as first team captain in January.
He scored a goal in the 90th minute when Barnsley dumped Liverpool out of the FA Cup in February 2008. Barnsley then knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup, two giant-killing victories in a row.
At the end of the same season, Howard was named in the Coca-Cola Championship Team of the Season for his contributions.
The former England U-20 international is also eligible to play for
Scotland and after he was called by manager George Burley he is now in the process of trying to join the Scottish national side.
For more details and reaction see The Star tomorrowKOP THAT: BLADES RAISE THE STAKES
see the Green'Un newspaper, available from Saturday night for the full storyPLUS, FREE COLOUR POSTER OF BLADES STARWhat do you think? Post your comments below. READ MORE Blades Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarOwls Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarWatch Premiership highlights, international football, golf, tennis, darts and much moreFootball headlinesMore BladesMore OwlsMore SpireitesMore RoversMore RedsMore MillersMore Ice HockeyMore rugby leagueMore rugby unionMore boxingSports columnistsAll sport categoriesThe full article contains 950 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
