Forgotten Sheffield United defender has already hinted at exit - but there might be a catch
Sheffield United need to cut their cloth this summer, meaning a number of players out-of-favour are expected to be moved on.
Sheffield United centre-back Nils Zätterström has already hinted that he faces the prospect of leaving Bramall Lane this summer amid the possibility of joining loan club Genoa on a permanent basis.
Recruited from Swedish club Malmo last August, Zätterström joined the Blades for an undisclosed fee, signing a four-year deal at Bramall Lane. The 21-year-old one was of nine players who arrived on permanent deals last summer.
However, he failed to force his way into the plans of former United manager Rubén Sellés and current boss Chris Wilder, being named in the matchday squad on just three occasions prior to the January transfer window.
Failing to make it off the bench on each of those three occasions, Zätterström moved to Italian club Genoa in January in pursuit of more game time, joining the Serie A outfit on loan for the remainder of the season. The agreement contained a clause that gives them the option of signing the Swede on a permanent deal this summer.
However, it remains to be seen if Genoa will activate that option due to the limited number of opportunities the defender has earned during his time in Italy. With just two games of the Serie A campaign remaining, he has featured just twice.
After making his debut as a late substitute in a 3-2 win over Bologna back in January, Zätterström had to wait until as recently as last Sunday to make his second appearance for the club, securing a start in their 0-0 draw with Fiorentina.
The youngster has already declared that he would be “absolutely” open to a permanent switch to the Serie A club, but his lack of opportunities since his January arrival does raise question marks over whether they will trigger the option to extract him from Bramall Lane on a permanent basis.
Asked if he would be open to joining Genoa permanently, Zätterström, speaking in March, told Fotbollskanalen: “Yes, absolutely. As it stands now, I’m definitely open to staying in Genoa. We’ll see; there are eight matches left, and then the summer transfer window opens. But I’m open to it.
“I really enjoy it here. If you compare it to English football, there is much more rhythm in the game in Italy. Sometimes you let the opponent have the ball, you just defend areas that are dangerous and when you have the ball yourself, the opponents do the same thing.”
Whatever Genoa decide, Zätterström, who last made a matchday squad for the Blades on December 9, has already hinted that he has no place in Wilder’s plans because of his style of play.
“No, the coach who brought me there got fired early on,” he added. “And the new coach had a different playing style and different players he believed in. So, I was often sitting in the stands there.”
Having hinted that he does not feature in Wilder’s plans, it already seems highly likely Zätterström will be moved on this summer. Genoa activating their option to sign him permanently would offer him a simple escape route, banking United profit in the process, but his lack of opportunities during his loan spell does raise question marks about whether they will trigger that option.
Storing just 91 minutes under his belt since joining the Italian club means a permanent switch, certainly at this stage, does feel a lot less likely. United, however, will no doubt be hoping Genoa take up their option to provide Zätterström with a straightforward departure.