Exclusive:Sheffield United weighing up contract reward as "impressive" rookie seizes pre-season chance
An impressive summer has put one Sheffield United youngster in line for a fresh deal, with sources indicating talks could soon be on the agenda.
Sheffield United could offer promising defender Jamal Baptiste a new contract after the former Manchester City and West Ham United man impressed on his return to Shirecliffe this summer. The 22-year-old has played twice for the United first team so far.
But he has enjoyed extensive game-time in pre-season this summer, with United yet to sign any of the centre-half reinforcements Chris Wilder has been looking for. Baptiste spent last season on loan at Rotherham United and couldn’t prevent them sliding into League Two.
He has taken advantage though of the chance offered to him after returning to United, with Nils Zatterstrom again expected to depart this summer and Mark McGuinness being made available for a move just 12 months after arriving at Bramall Lane.
United are still targeting two new centre-halves and the current expectation is that Baptiste will form part of a central defensive unit rather than be a formative part of it. The Blades remain keen on Harry Souttar despite Leicester City’s £10m valuation of the defender.
Earlier this month Japhet Tanganga spoke glowingly about the impression Baptiste had made this summer, with the former England U19 international starting all of the Blades’ pre-season games so far ahead of Zatterstrom and McGuinness.
Baptiste signed a new deal last summer before moving out to Rotherham, the length of which was not disclosed at the time. But sources close to United have suggested that he and his representatives may be invited to the negotiating table again soon.
“He's been really good,” Tanganga said of Baptiste. “That’s not just my perspective, but everyone else who's been watching him in training and games as well.
“He's applied himself really well. Not just him, but all the other young boys who have obviously been involved as well. From playing alongside him, he's good.
“He's gained his experience with Rotherham last season, and you can tell. Like I said, with the help of Phil [Jones, the new coach] and with the gaffer and all the coaching staff, he can only grow from here. But, yes, he's been really good and really impressive.”