Sheffield United intensify interest in three key targets after believing they have won the battle for a fourth

Sheffield United are expected to switch their focus to securing deals for Aaron Ramsdale, Matty Cash and John Swift after sources close to Wigan Athletic’s Antonee Robinson suggested the defender has his heart set on a move to Bramall Lane rather than West Bromwich Albion, who had also been chasing the USA international’s signature.
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United are understood to have had a bid accepted for Robinson, who was poised to join Milan during the January transfer window, after holding talks with administrators at the DW Stadium.

West Brom manager Slaven Bilic was also monitoring the situation at Wigan, who were relegated after being hit with a points deduction, with a view to approaching Robinson. But the player is believed to have decided South Yorkshire is the best place to further his career following United’s ninth placed finish last season, despite late interest from Fulham.

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Robinson recently admitted he is set to leave Greater Manchester, given Wigan’s controversial financial issues and uncertainty surrounding their ownership.

Like Ramsdale, the AFC Bournemouth goalkeeper, Swift and Cash are known to be interested in joining Chris Wilder’s side from Reading and Nottingham Forest respectively. The latter was the subject of an unsuccessful £10m offer earlier this month, but officials at the City Ground were unhappy with the proposed repayment schedule, not the amount itself and could try to include United’s Luke Freeman as a makeweight. Swift, who returned to training at the Madejski Stadium yesterday, has been told by Reading’s owners that he will not be allowed to depart. However, given the midfielder’s desire to return to the top-flight after starting his career with Chelsea, that is likely to be a bargaining chip designed to try and spark an auction after Leeds and Aston Villa expressed their interest in luring Swift away from Berkshire.

Ramsdale, who joined Bournemouth after graduating from United’s youth system, was a rare success story at the Vitality Stadium last season - impressing during his debut PL campaign but failing to prevent Eddie Howe’s side from being relegated. Aged 22, Ramsdale has been capped seven times by England at under-21 level since leaving South Yorkshire in 2017.

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