Sheffield United want 48-cap international who just inflicted play-off heartbreak on them with Sunderland
Sheffield United are preparing for another season in the Championship following last month’s Wembley defeat.
Sheffield United have been linked with interest in defender Chris Mepham - just one week after he contributed to their play-off final heartbreak while on loan at Sunderland.
Mepham’s final game of a season-long loan switch to Sunderland saw him come off the bench at Wembley last weekend as United threw away a one goal lead to lose 2-1, with Black Cats academy prospect Tommy Watson winning it in added-time. A 10th play-off defeat extended a dismal record for the Blades and consigned them to another year of Championship football, with another busy summer of ins and outs on the horizon.
Reinforcements are expected across the board and with last season’s late stumble still fresh in the memory, Chris Wilder will no doubt be keen to sign players who have been there and done it. United threw together a relatively young and inexperienced group which, upon reflection, might have benefitted from a few older heads to drag them through difficult times.
And it appears Wilder will look to rectify that as reports emerge of interest in Mepham, who as things stand will become a free agent when his contract at parent club Bournemouth expires this summer. Journalist Alan Nixon reports via his Patreon page on links to the 27-year-old, who played a central role in Sunderland getting their own promotion bid over the line.
Chris Mepham contract latest amid Sheffield United transfer links
Bournemouth do have an option to extend Mepham’s stay by another year, but it remains to be seen whether that will be triggered with no clear place in manager Andoni Iraola’s plans. As such, United have the experienced Welsh international on their radar ahead of a summer in which funds will be far from unlimited.
Mepham joined Bournemouth from Brentford in a £12million deal back in 2019 but after earning his spot as a regular starter, fell down the pecking order under Iraola, playing just 13 games during the 2023/24 campaign before joining Sunderland. The 48-cap Welsh international went on to play 40 times under Regis Le Bris and would likely be keen for the same amount of action, if indeed he does move on from the Vitality Stadium.
“This is my final year and I think the club [Bournemouth] have the option of next year,” Mepham recently told the Sunderland Echo on his future. “Yeah, I don’t want to look too far ahead. I think, naturally you keep it week by week because a lot can happen in a short period of time. Like I said, I think the most important thing for me at this stage of my career is just playing football and getting regular game time which is something I’ve probably missed over the last couple of years.”
Defensive reinforcements could quickly become a top priority for Bramall Lane chiefs amid uncertainty over the future of Anel Ahmedhodzic, who has one year left on his Blades deal and will be on the radar of Premier League clubs. January loan arrival Rob Holding has also returned to parent club Crystal Palace, while full-backs Alfie Gilchrist and Harry Clarke have gone back to Chelsea and Ipswich Town respectively.
Your next Sheffield United read: Wilder eyeing McBurnie reunion as fresh reports emerge over ex-Blades striker