Sheffield United & West Ham at centre of Premier League 'move' mystery

MORE: United meet top Man City chief in bid to get audacious deal done

Paul Heckingbottom, the United manager, is adamant Berge must remain at Bramall Lane next term after helping his squad gain promotion back to the Premier League. Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Bramall Lane’s owner, has also gone on record to state that he has no interest in offloading either the Norway international or Iliman Ndiaye; who are both about to enter the final 12 months of their present contracts.

That pledge came as a relief to Heckingbottom, following his admission that losing either would adversely affect United’s hopes of retaining the top-flight status they worked so hard to achieve.

But it has apparently not stopped one supposed-broker, who The Star has been told does not represent either Heckingbottom’s employers or the player himself, from trying to find out if West Ham would consider submitting a bid.

MORE: The man who will decide if bid succeeds

Moyes was reportedly monitoring Berge’s situation with United earlier this year, when the English Football League placed them under a transfer embargo. That has since been lifted, with West Ham not believed to view Berge as a priority target.

Like Ndiaye, the midfielder won the respect of United’s coaching staff by refusing to be distracted by speculation about his future as Heckingbottom’s men plotted a course out of the Championship.

MORE: United’s reveal takeover position

United want to recruit at least two new midfielders this summer, although that number could rise to three if John Fleck does not accept the proposed agreement he was presented with before Heckingbottom’s retained and released list was published. Fleck is known to boast a number of admirers north of the border after beginning his career with Rangers before representing Blackpool and Coventry City ahead of his switch to United.

Heckingbottom hopes to fill the two vacancies by resigning Manchester City duo Tommy Doyle and James McAtee, although Brondby’s Anis Ben Slimane is also said to feature on United’s list of potential acquisitions.

MORE: Overseas ‘target’ looks like a good buy