Sheffield United Transfers: Blades set for stick or twist decision if Newcastle United follow up Sander Berge interest in January

The Norwegian became United’s then-record signing when he arrived in a £22m move from Genk in January, and was widely expected to leave in the summer following the Blades’ relegation from the Premier League.

But no club met the Blades’ valuation of the Norway international, and he remained at Bramall Lane – coming off the bench away at Fulham on Monday after returning from a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for several games.

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Newcastle have been linked with a host of January signings after their takeover by new Saudi Arabia-backed owners, but the Magpies’ perilous Premier League position is reportedly putting off some players from joining a club that could be relegated to the Championship this season.

So one alternative considered by the hierarchy on Tyneside is to look at the Championship for January signings, with Blackburn’s Ben Brereton also reportedly alongside Berge on a list of second-tier players who could make the step up to the top flight.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe admitted that he could give no promises over the January transfer window recently.

“There are people above me looking and working on that and my focus is on the team. January is notoriously difficult to predict and to have a clear plan at the minute is virtually impossible because there are so many twists and turns to come.

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“My focus is on the team, and that will continue to be my main focus because getting the best out of the group of the players is the key to us staying up.”

If Newcastle do submit an official bid for Berge, it will be a big test of the Blades’ ambitions this season – especially if they are still in the promotion hunt, having propelled themselves to within three points of the top six with four straight wins.

Having a fully-fit and firing Berge would be a great asset for the second half of the season, but the books must also be balanced as United look to mitigate the drop in revenue caused by relegation last season.

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