Sheffield United set to re-draw Sander Berge transfer plans after previous target signs for Championship rivals

Speculation about Berge’s future has raged ever since United were relegated from the Premier League early last year and intensified on the last deadline day, when erroneous media reports suggested a deal had been agreed with Club Brugge to take United’s former record signing back to Belgium.

Although United boss Paul Heckingbottom was loathe to lose Berge’s services, having helped transform the Norwegian international from a sitting midfielder to a rampaging goal-threat, the presence of a release clause in his contract always meant the possibility was there.

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In the end Brugge and Berge’s other suitors declined the possibility to meet the asking price that would have triggered his automatic release, but United sensibly planned for the eventuality by lining up a list of alternatives they could bring in.

One they settled on was Ismael Kone, the Montreal midfielder who – as The Star revealed recently – even travelled to his local airport on deadline day in case he had to board a flight across the Atlantic to England. In the end, Berge remained at Bramall Lane and Kone stayed in Canada. United resolved to keep tabs on his situation and boss Heckingbottom even hinted at a January move.

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But the 20-year-old, fresh from three appearances for his country at this winter’s World Cup, has now moved to the Championship with United’s promotion rivals Watford, with United’s recruitment staff expected to revise their list of back-up options in case Berge is prised away from Bramall Lane when the transfer window opens for business again on January 1.

Heckingbottom, pointing to the example of Anel Ahmedhodžić, recently conceded United need to find a “niche” in the transfer market as they continue to feel the financial after-effects of relegation from the top-flight. Ahmedhodžić, who cost around £3m in the summer when moving from Malmo, is now worth many multiples of that amount, and United are keen to explore similar value-for-money signings around the world.

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