Another Sheffield United transfer exit nears as forgotten £1m signing looks to revive career
Sheffield United are set to trim their squad further before the Championship season begins, with one of last summer's biggest signings closing in on an overseas move after falling out of Chris Wilder's first-team plans.
A slimmed-down Sheffield United squad reported back for pre-season testing duty last week and when work begins properly at Shirecliffe this week, ahead of this weekend’s first friendly, there could be another notable absence as one more player edges closer to the exit door.
Winger Andre Brooks became the 11th senior player to leave Bramall Lane when he joined Norwich City last week, but will be by no means the last. Boss Chris Wilder is still looking to trim down his group further, as he looks to improve on last season’s 13th-placed finish.
One player who has long since been earmarked for pastures new is midfielder Alex Matos, a £1m signing from Chelsea last summer who went on to play just eight times for the Blades last season.
The Star first revealed in January that Matos was free to seek a move away from Bramall Lane and was close to signing for AIK in Sweden, but that switch eventually did not materialise. He is now closing in on a Lane exit, though, to Turkey.
Reports over there suggest that Göztepe, who finished sixth in last season’s Super Lig, have reached an agreement to sign Matos on loan, with the deal also including an option to make it a permanent one.
With Matos understood to be amongst the top earners at Bramall Lane, the move should at least free up some more wriggle room in the Blades’ budget and also present the youngster with a fresh chance to get his career going again.
United are understood to be progressing in their bid to bring Kalvin Phillips back to South Yorkshire with Joe Rothwell, Sydie Peck and Oliver Arblaster also ahead of Matos in the midfield pecking order following Jairo Riedewald’s summer release.
Speaking of Matos in January, boss Wilder said: “There’s been interest in Alex. I think he realises as well that he needs to go out and play.
“He’s not part of our short-term plans to go and win games of football and climb the table. Alex knows that, and he’s understood that. He needs to go, and wants to go and play football.
“He knows that with Soumare, Riedewald, Blaster coming back and Sydie Peck as well, his pathway is blocked. So, I imagine there'll be some movement with Alex this week.
“And if not, he'll be involved with us at the weekend and in and around it. His attitude has been absolutely first-class, which I would expect. And that gives him an opportunity of carving a career out for himself.”