Sheffield United told transfer fee needed for hotshot striker Bénie Traoré amid Rangers links

Sheffield United have been told the sort of fee they will have to pay if they follow up their interest in hotshot striker Bénie Traoré this summer. The 20-year-old has reportedly caught the eye of United, as well as Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers,

A converted winger, Traoré has 12 goals in 13 games so far this season to help Hacken up to third in the early Swedish top-flight table, just three points off leaders Malmo.

Rangers, according to journalist Alan Nixon, have seen a bid of just under £3m rejected by Hacken and the club’s sporting director Martin Ericsson has warned that it would take a “historic bid” to prise Traoré away from the Allsvenken champions. Their previous record sale was a £3.5m deal which took Patrik Walemark to Feyenoord two years ago for £3.5 million, with Ericsson admitting that there is a “reasonable” chance of a sale this summer.

“I will not comment on any amount, but it is clear that it would be historic amounts for us,” Ericsson said in an interview with fotbolldirekt. “There is a reasonable idea with us that there will be a sale in the summer. But it also depends entirely on what we arrive at, it also has to be something very good for it to be like that.”

The 20-year-old, who was called up to the Ivory Coast U23 side for the first time earlier this year. After a serious injury kept him sidelined for eight months early last year, he signed a new deal at Hacken last September as they lifted last year’s Allsvenskan title.

United have done business with Swedish sides before, signing Anel Ahmedhodzic from Malmo last season, and will likely know all about Traore’s scoring exploits this season. One previous stumbling block to any potential deal would have been Traore’s eligibility to work in England, with the forward currently not possessing enough points to fulfil the criteria for a work permit.

But United could benefit from a recent implementation of rules allowing Premier League and Championship clubs to sign up to four players who do not meet the criteria. Traoré’s previous experience as a winger could also provide boss Paul Heckingbottom with some much-needed tactical flexibility next season as he attempts to construct a squad capable of competing in the Premier League on a limited transfer budget.