Sheffield United: Anel Ahmedhodzic set to meet his new team mates in Portugal

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international, who is understood to have cost an initial £3m, arrives from Malmo and will become the second new face to be unveiled by Paul Heckingbottom’s side this week.

Together with on-loan Manchester City midfielder Tommy Doyle, Ahmedhodzic could make his first appearance in a United jersey when they face Casa Pia in a friendly on Friday before returning to England for a series of warm-up fixtures ahead of next month’s Championship opener at Watford.

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United beat off competition from Blackburn Rovers and Strasbourg to capture the centre-half, who has also been capped by Sweden.

Their agreement with the Allsvenskan outfit is thought to contain a clause entitling Ahmedhodzic’s former club to a further payment should they reach the Premier League during the course of his long-term contract.

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Although no details of the 23-year-old’s terms and conditions have yet been revealed, sources close to the process last night reported he had been discussing a deal until 2026 when United first made their move.

Having turned professional with Nottingham Forest before returning to Scandinavia, Ahmedhodvic’s capture is being hailed as a major coup by senior figures at Bramall Lane. Chelsea, Atalanta, PSV Eindhoven and Milan have all previously been linked with the defender, who has acquired European experience with Malmo.

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His arrival at the Cidade do Futebol, where United are basing themselves ahead of the meeting with Filipe Martins’ newly promoted squad, will enable Heckingbottom to focus on bolstering other areas of his line-up with an attacker, possibly ex-Derby County forward Tom Lawrence, likely to be his immediate priority.

Ahmedhodzic joined Bordeaux on loan last term, with the French club set to purchase him on a permanent basis until being relegated to their third tier of their domestic game following a series of financial issues.

Meanwhile, United have allowed goalkeeper Jake Eastwood to complete his loan switch to Ross County after Adam Davies accepted their offer of a new contract.