Sheffield United have already shown they might be flexible with summer transfer window approach
Sheffield United have plenty of work to do in this summer’s transfer window after an underwhelming 2025/26 campaign.
There is still just over a month to go until the summer transfer window officially opens and already Sheffield United are beginning to be linked with an increasing number of players.
The latest player to have been linked with a summer move to Bramall Lane is Huddersfield Town winger Cameron Ashia. The 19-year-old enjoyed an impressive breakout season with the Terriers this term, scoring six goals and registering three assists in 31 games across all competitions.
United are understood to be on the hunt for a left-winger this summer and, as revealed by The Star, have added Ipswich Town ace Jack Clarke and Aston Villa’s Lewis Dobbin to their list of possible targets.
Both Clarke and Dobbin, who spent this season on loan at Preston North End, enjoyed productive campaigns, scoring 26 Championship goals between them. Clarke was Ipswich’s leading goalscorer, playing a key role in them sealing an immediate return to the Tractor Boys, while Dobbin, who chipped in with ten league goals for North End, was one of the loan signings of the season.
After an experimental summer went wrong for the Blades last year, they are set to prioritise signings with Championship experience this summer amid manager Chris Wilder’s quest to transform the landscape of his squad ahead of next season.
United lacked Championship experience and players of the right character this season, meaning those two traits are set to feature heavily in their recruitment drive. Dobbin has now had three loan spells in the Championship, meaning he is well-versed in the division, while Clarke has been one of the best players in the league either side of his year in the Premier League with Ipswich in 2024/25.
Landing Clarke, Dobbin or indeed another left-winger with Championship pedigree this summer would be a tick in the box for the Blades. They need an extra dimension on that flank and signing a proven Championship winger, ideally one with a proven record in front of goal, would immediately strengthen their armoury.
However, recent reports linking with them with Huddersfield ace Ashia should serve as a reminder that United have already considered temporarily switching up their approach to recruitment this year. Back in January, the Blades, as reported by The Star, expressed interest in Barnsley winger Reyes Cleary.
The 22-year-old was attracting plenty of attention, and he made his way onto United’s radar ahead of the January window closing.
January speculation did not unsettle Cleary as he ended the season having been directly involved in 20 goals in League One, scoring seven and creating 13. No player in League One racked up more assists than him this term.
Making a name for himself as a creative winger, capable of making things happen inside the final third, Cleary is once again likely to attract attention this summer.
Whether United will rekindle their interest remains to be seen, but they might view Cleary as a player that can be slowly integrated into life at Championship level while remembering he is still some time away from hitting his peak. The price of a deal, of course, will dictate United’s thinking.
Nevertheless, despite players with vast levels of Championship experience being at the forefront of United’s transfer blueprint this summer, and understandably so, the prospect of them plucking a player or two from lower down the pyramid should not be dismissed.
Wilder may have already admitted that be believes United already have enough young players on the books amid his search for the right balance, but he will always have half an eye on the future, meaning emerging talents in League One will often be monitored.