Sheffield United's Championship rivals 'pursuing' World Cup defender as midfielder bid 'rejected'
All the very latest Championship transfer rumours ahead of the start of the 2026/27 season this weekend.
Sheffield United will be eyeing a winning start to the 2026/27 Championship campaign when they host Birmingham City at Bramall Lane on Saturday evening.
Following an unbeaten pre-season campaign, the Blades started the new season with a win on Sunday, beating League One side Mansfield Town 3-0 in the first round of the Carabao Cup at the One Call Stadium.
United built on that victory off the pitch on Tuesday, confirming the return of midfielder Kalvin Phillips on a season-long loan from Manchester City. However, later that day, they announced the departure of Gustavo Hamer, who sealed a return to Coventry City.
With United’s Championship opener against Birmingham now just three days away, the clock is ticking for the Blades to strengthen Chris Wilder’s squad before the visit of Chris Davies’ side. It has been widely reported over the past 24 hours that United are edging closer to re-signing defender Harry Souttar from Leicester City.
With the start of the new Championship campaign almost upon us, here are some of the latest transfer rumours concerning the Blades’ second-tier rivals...
Wrexham ‘target’ Norway defender
Wrexham are ‘pursuing a deal’ to sign Viking Stavanger centre-back Henrik Falchener, according to a report by The Athletic. After strengthening their goalkeeping department with the signing of Anthony Patterson from Sunderland on Tuesday, the Red Dragons are now focusing on bolstering their defensive options.
The Racecourse Ground outfit, who swooped for former Blades midfielder Ben Whiteman last week, have reportedly ‘lodged two offers which have been rejected’ for Falchener, the latest of which was worth £8.1 million including bonuses.
The 23-year-old, who joined Viking last year, made one appearance for Norway at the World Cup this summer, starting their 4-1 defeat to France in the group stages. Viking are eager to keep the defender as they look to try to qualify for this season’s Champions League.
After seeing an £8.1m offer for Falchener knocked back, Wrexham are going to have to return to the negotiating table with an even higher offer, meaning it will require a club-record fee to bring the Norwegian to the Racecourse Ground.
Derby bid ‘rejected’ for Baggies star
According to a report by the Express and Star, West Bromwich Albion have ‘rejected’ an offer from Championship rivals Derby County for midfielder Alex Mowatt. The experienced midfielder has previously been on the Rams’ radar, and their latest attempt to try and lure him to Pride Park is said to have failed.
It is reported that the Rams’ offer for the 31-year-old, who has been at The Hawthorns since 2021, did not meet the Baggies’ valuation. Mowatt is a vastly experienced Championship operator, having racked up more than 400 appearances in the division during his career.
Mowatt made 41 appearances across all competitions last term and is an important member of Baggies boss James Morrison’s plans. However, talks between Derby and West Brom over a fresh offer for Mowatt are described as ongoing.
Derby are keen to press ahead with their recruitment plans ahead of the end of the transfer window after Turki Alalshikh abandoned his takeover bid earlier this week.