Sheffield United: Boss set to breathe a sigh of relief
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom admits he will breathe a sigh of relief when the transfer window closes at 11pm tonight.
With his squad preparing for this weekend’s visit to Hull City on top of the Championship table following a 4-0 win over Reading, Heckingbottom told The Star the speculation which inevitably occurs on deadline day “can be a distraction for everyone”.
Despite confirming he wants to bolster United’s midfield options ahead of the trip to East Yorkshire - John Fleck and Ben Osborn will both sit out the match because of injury - Heckingbottom’s primary focus is ensuring Sander Berge remains at Bramall Lane.
“It’s all part of the job, transfers and everything that goes with them, all the stuff that surrounds the window,” he said. “I wouldn’t say lots of it is too enjoyable though, and I’ll be glad when it’s over and we can get back to concentrating totally on football.”
With claims Liverpool considered triggering the £35m release clause contained within Berge’s contract being dismissed by sources on Merseyside - as this outlet reported when they first surfaced around a month ago - Club Brugge remain the team most likely to lure him away from United.
However, the reigning Belgian champions are refusing to match the valuation which has been placed on Berge, who joined United in a £22m deal from Genk in January 2020.
“You just aren’t going to replace Sander, especially at this stage, and that’s half my argument,” Heckingbottom said recently, distancing himself from any potential decision to part company with Berge. “That’s my stance.”
