Sheffield United have an obvious answer to try and fix position problem in summer transfer window
Sheffield United need to strengthen their centre-back options this summer, meaning you could not blame them for trying to re-sign a former loanee.
For those of us here in the UK and right across Europe, many of the kick-off times at this summer’s World Cup are far from ideal.
A number of games are requiring fans in this part of the world to either stay up late or get up early to catch a glimpse of some of the world’s most famous faces. However, those who were strong enough to stay up until almost 4am on Wednesday morning were treated to a Lionel Messi hat-trick, as Argentina got the defence of their World Cup crown up and running with a 3-0 win over Algeria.
Messi’s performance has attracted more column inches than that of any other player on show at the tournament thus far, but former Sheffield United loanee Harry Souttar was worthy of plaudits of his own after impressing almost everyone who stayed up all night, or got up early, to watch Australia’s 2-0 win over Turkey on Sunday morning.
Kicking off at 5am UK time, Australia made an excellent start to their World Cup campaign, producing an excellent tactical performance to get the better of one of the tournament’s dark horses. Turkey, despite appearing at their first World Cup since 2002, are widely fancied to enjoy a good run on the other side of the Atlantic over the coming weeks.
However, they will have to perform better than they did against Australia if they are to make it out of Group D. Despite enjoying north of 70 per cent of the possession and registering 30 shots, they failed to find a way past a stubborn Australian defence and World Cup debutant Patrick Beach in goal.
Much of Australia’s organisation stemmed from the performance of Souttar, who appears to be getting back into his stride after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with an Achilles injury. He completed 13 clearances, won six of his eight duels, blocked two shots, and finished the game having made a total of 17 defensive contributions. He also clocked a top speed of 34.7 km/h.
Souttar’s performance rightfully earned him plenty of praise and recognition. Sporting the captain’s armband, he led by example to help his country win their opening game at a World Cup for the first time in 20 years.
It was the kind of performance that might convince the Blades to try and re-sign him in this summer’s transfer window. Souttar joined United on loan in August 2024 for the duration of the 2024/25 season, but his campaign was cut short due to the aforementioned Achilles injury he suffered on Boxing Day.
He had established himself as a key fixture in Chris Wilder’s plans at Bramall Lane, becoming a pillar of strength and consistency in the heart of United’s back-four. He made 22 appearances for the club, helping them keep 14 clean sheets.
Souttar, who stands at 6ft 6in, is an imposing figure. Not only excellent in the air, he is also more than capable on the ball. He ticks plenty of boxes that United could do with ticking this summer.
It is no secret United need to strengthen their centre-back pool this summer amid the recent departures of Ben Mee, Tyler Bindon and Leo Hjelde. Fellow centre-backs Mark McGuiness and Nils Zätterström also face uncertain futures in S2 ahead of next term.
Souttar, of course, is still on the books of Leicester City, who were relegated to League One last term, and has two years remaining on his contract, meaning the Foxes are likely to demand a sizeable fee for him, particularly if he continues to enjoy a strong World Cup campaign.
United, though, are no strangers to the loan market, meaning that could provide an avenue of opportunity to bring Souttar back to Bramall Lane. Leicester need to trim their wage bill after falling into the third tier, meaning several big-name players are expected to depart.
One element of concern United might have, though, is Souttar’s fitness. After so long on the sidelines, they may be hesitant about trying to re-sign him so soon after coming back from a lengthy injury lay-off. Based on his performance against Turkey, however, you would never have realised he had been absent for so long.
Putting defensive duties first, fighting tooth and nail for his country, Souttar delivered the sort of performance Wilder expects from any United player. The 27-year-old, who is vastly experienced in the Championship, fitting the criteria Wilder is looking for in potential signings this summer, thrives on clearing danger, making him the right sort of character for United’s latest rebuild.
With courage and confidence required at Bramall Lane this summer, Souttar, as he demonstrated in his previous stint in S2, fits the bill.