Gustavo Hamer's contract situation is an acid test for Sheffield United's hierarchy
Gustavo Hamer has just over a year remaining on his Sheffield United contract.
Gustavo Hamer became the first player in the Championship this season to reach double figures for assists after creating Harrison Burrows’ opener in Sheffield United’s 2-1 defeat to Coventry City at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night.
The 28-year-old unlocked Coventry’s defence with an incisive pass, finding Burrows, who managed to compose himself and lash in his second goal in as many games to give United the lead shortly after half-time.
It marked a seventh assist in as many games for Hamer, meaning he has now cemented his place at the top of the Championship’s assists chart with ten. West Bromwich Albion’s Mikey Johnston had been out in front for a considerable length of time with nine.
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There is much more to football than scoring goals or creating them at any level, but what happens inside the final third is what is the most important. Hamer, after it appeared in a statistical sense, he was going to look back on this season with a feeling of dissatisfaction amid his capabilities at this level, is now within six direct goal contributions of equalling last season’s tally (18) in the Championship.
Considering United have not been riding high in the division this time around, Hamer, due to a recent burst in assists, can begin to analyse his attacking output with a lot more pride than he would have otherwise done only a few weeks ago.
He has reestablished himself as United’s architect-in-chief and is once again considered as the man that is the most likely to make something happen for them. Regardless of where the Blades find themselves in the table, he remains one of the best players in the Championship.
Hamer is bound to attract interest
Having attracted interest from Leeds United last summer, his ever-increasing tally of assists is only going to lead to more speculation and uncertainty surrounding his future ahead of this summer. The former Coventry man will enter the final year of his contract at Bramall Lane this summer, meaning speculation is likely to be rife.
In United’s case, if promotion is not achieved, they may have to consider cashing in on Hamer if he does not put pen to paper on a new deal amid the possibility of losing him for free further down the line. Last week, United chief executive Stephen Bettis already warned that player sales may have to be necessary this summer.
"We won't be selling players to bring in cash (but) we may have to sell players to reduce the wage bill to meet the requirements,” Bettis told the Yorkshire Post.
Hamer is one of United’s most sellable assets, but his contract situation, as it is right now, could inject belief into the veins of prospective suitors, who may think they will be able to drive down United’s asking price. It is not unusual for clubs to try and drive a hard bargain when players enter the final 12 months of their contract.
With United’s play-off hopes slowly fading, their chances of keeping Hamer for a third successive Championship season are loosening, particularly if he maintains his current run of form in the coming weeks.
Unsurprisingly, manager Chris Wilder has already highlighted the importance of trying to sort his contract situation out to try and keep him at the club.
“I want to keep my best players,” Wilder said earlier this week. “I want to keep Gus. He's been outstanding.”
You cannot blame Wilder in the slightest for wanting to keep a player of Hamer’s quality. Who wouldn’t? But if United go into this summer knowing they will be playing in the Championship again next season, and Hamer has failed to sign a new deal, they could find it difficult to retain his services.
His recent form has only strengthened the likelihood of him being on the list of a plethora of clubs this summer, meaning Wilder’s determination to tie him down to a new deal will mark a big test for the owners.