Sheffield United hoping for transfer breakthrough in pursuit of World Cup star

Sheffield United are hoping to make a transfer breakthrough soon in their pursuit of Tunisian World Cup star Anis Slimane. The 22-year-old midfielder was identified as someone of interest earlier in the summer, with initial contact made with both the player and his representatives and Brøndby.

With the midfielder’s contract set to expire next summer, the former Danish champions are wary of losing him for nothing in a year’s time and football director Carsten Vagn Jensen admitted recently that either a sale or a new contract needs to be agreed soon, to resolve the situation one way or another.

United will have been encouraged by Jensen’s revelation that a “clear flag has been raised from [Slimane’s] camp” suggesting that it is “probably time to move on”. Heckingbottom, whose pre-season plans were boosted earlier today by confirmation that Jack Robinson has signed a new deal at Bramall Lane, is known to be in the market for midfield reinforcements, with Slimane enchancing his glowing reputation on the World Cup stage last winter in Qatar.

“Anis is still a fine player,” Jensen told Tipsbladet recently, “but it will not be so smart to go into September without having made a nice sale or having extended the agreement.

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“It will be a bit of a shame to have half a season without one of the two things. I don’t think we should reject anything, but a clear flag has been raised from his camp in relation to the fact that it is probably time to move on.”

The attraction to Slimane - a player comfortable on the ball, with the capability to pull out a trick or two and also the ability to thread passes through to the front men quickly, and on either foot - is obvious, especially considering he is available at a fraction of his true value because of his contract status. Slimane’s versatility, able to operate in a conventional midfield role or behind the striker further forward, could also offer Heckingbottom valuable tactical flexibility if he returns to the shape that he sometimes used last time out in the Premier League, with two 10s behind a main striker.

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