Sander Berge moves closer to Sheffield United exit after Burnley medical

The Norwegian midfielder was scheduled to become a free agent at Bramall Lane next summer, with Burnley looking to take advantage of his contract status to acquire him for a cut-price fee. Berge cost United £22m when he arrived in January 2020 and was a key figure in their promotion back to the top-flight last season.

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Vincent Kompany’s side are understood to be long-term admirers of Berge, whose United contract is understood not to contain an option in United’s favour allowing them to extend it by a further 12 months. The player has shown little appetite to extend his United career by signing a new contract and was previously expected to leave as a free agent next summer, with United seemingly opting against that possibility by cashing-in this window.

Berge’s agent Morten Wivestad has been in England since last week in anticipation of a deal, while Berge missed training on Tuesday to complete his Burnley medical.

The timing will leave some real questions for United’s hierarchy, considering the new season kicks off in four days. Boss Paul Heckingbottom has previously spoken about his desire to have the majority of his players in place for the big kick-off, after identifying a quick start - with four of United’s opening six games at home - as a good opportunity to lay down a marker for the new season.

Instead, as things stand, United go into Saturday’s clash with Crystal Palace having lost their star man in Iliman Ndiaye and, just over a week later, set to wave farewell to Berge as well. United, who lost Billy Sharp, Enda Stevens, Jack O’Connell, Tommy Doyle, Ciaran Clark, James McAtee and Reda Khadra from last season’s squad and have a host of players who will miss the season opener through injury, have brought in Anis Slimane, Benie Traore, Yasser Larouci and Auston Trusty so far this summer, with a deal for midfielder Vinicius Souza - ironically a reported former Burnley target - moving closer.