Harry Souttar transfer state of play amid Sheffield United dialogue, Leicester City complication, rival interest clarity
The Blades remain keen on bringing Harry Souttar back to Bramall Lane despite Leicester City rejecting an initial loan-to-buy proposal, with the Foxes' financial situation offering hope that a deal could yet be struck.
Sheffield United are weighing up the feasibility of another transfer offer for Harry Souttar, The Star understands, after having their initial loan-to-buy option rebuffed. The Blades have made the Leicester City man one of their top defensive targets this summer.
City’s £10m asking price for the giant defender has not ended United’s interest, although they would need a deal to be negotiated with City in order to afford to bring him back to Bramall Lane.
As we revealed recently Souttar is understood to have informed Leicester of his desire to explore a move away and that situation, coupled with Leicester’s delicate financial situation, could tip the balance in United’s favour.
The Foxes, recently relegated to League One, have renewed their loan arrangement with the same Australian bank that United have used in the past, Macquarie, to effectively get an advance on their parachute payments.
But football finance expert Kieran Maguire reports that City are paying £200,000 a week in interest alone on their debt to Macquarie, with almost £30m still outstanding in transfer fees to other clubs this summer.
As we reported earlier this summer Souttar had been indentified as one of the players City could potentially sell this summer to raise funds after they suffered back-to-back relegations, and United’s enquiry about a potential loan-to-buy deal was subsequently knocked back.
One player not understood to be on United’s radar is Souttar’s brother John, who had also been linked with the Blades this summer. He was someone of interest a few years ago when he was at Hearts but is not a defender the Blades are actively pursuing currently.
United are in the market for two more centre-halves before the closure of the transfer window and, ideally, before their competitive season begins in the EFL Cup at Mansfield Town next weekend.
They have again been linked online with Manchester City youngster Max Alleyne, with the centre-half turning 21 earlier this month. But that would seem to be at odds with Wilder’s preference for experienced heads at the heart of his defence.
“No disrespect but if Japh [Tanganga] has an injury, I don’t want a young kid to go in with Jam [Baptiste] and alongside Harrison [Burrows]. I think that was maybe one of the big issues last season, Ben Mee getting injured.
“I don't want to keep going over old stuff, but Ben got injured in a really good period for us, when we went away to Leicester and we had some really good performances. So, there's got to be that now.
“You look at the top teams last season, at their back fours, and the average age of their back fours was 29-30. We need that profile in there. I don't want a 38-year-old. They need to be able to run, because we're on the halfway line.
“We want to play in their half, with and without the ball. So, that means centre-halves getting up to the halfway line and, with no disrespect, I can't have somebody who's 30 or 40 yards behind Japh. So, they've got to be mobile and they've got to tick the boxes in the profile of the player.”