Sheffield United kickstart transfer deadline day business with move for Chelsea midfield enforcer
Sheffield United kickstart transfer deadline day business with move for Chelsea midfield enforcer
Sheffield United have kickstarted their deadline day business by confirming a permanent deal to bring Chelsea youngster Alex Matos to Bramall Lane. The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan in the Championship with Oxford United.
And he will get another chance in the second tier with United after putting pen to paper on a deal to move to South Yorkshire. As The Star first revealed last week United hoped to tie up a deal for Matos before tonight’s 7pm deadline, with the hope that they could exploit his contract status at Stamford Bridge to bring him in on a permanent deal.
Matos was scheduled to become a free agent next summer, and will offer United some much-needed defensive cover in a midfield area that has been painfully overrun in the early stages of a season that has brought five defeats from five games so far.
Boss Ruben Selles declined to speak about the imminent arrival of Matos after the latest loss, at Middlesbrough on Saturday, but his arrival gives him some time to get accustomed to his new surroundings and teammates before the Blades’ next game, against Ipswich Town after the international break.
Sheffield United kickstart transfer deadline day business with move for Chelsea midfield enforcer
Matos’ stats last season were similar to Vini Souza’s, the Brazilian enforcer whose departure in the summer left the Blades short of a physical presence in midfield. Sydie Peck has been deployed as United’s sole holding midfielder so far, aside from one game at Swansea City when Djibril Soumare fulfilled that role.
Speaking after signing a three-year deal after the Blades paid the Blues an undisclosed fee for his services, Matos said: “When I heard of the interest, it was a no-brainer move for me. I feel this is right time for me to move on and play regular football and this is the right club for me.
“I spoke to Alfie [Gilchrist, the former United loanee from Chelsea] and he told me that it's a good club, with good people, and I would enjoy it. The loans developed me quite a lot, as has growing up at Chelsea.
“But I'm very happy to be here now. Getting players in recently shows how big a club this is, and it looks like a strong team. There are exciting times ahead."