Manager opens up on Sheffield United transfer target's immediate future after pre-season snub
What manager said about Sheffield United transfer target’s future after pre-season snub
Harry Souttar appears to have been given the green light to leave Leicester City this summer amid Sheffield United’s pursuit of the giant centre-half. Souttar, who stands at 6ft 7in, played only three times for the Foxes last season as they won the Championship title and made more appearances for his country than his club.
The brother of former United target John, who United tried to sign when he was at Hearts and even showed him around Bramall Lane before he made the decision to sign for Rangers, Souttar was approached about a potential loan move to the Blades in the last transfer window earlier this year, with a deal struck with the Foxes.
But The Star understands that the player's representative vetoed the idea of him moving to Bramall Lane, amid reports that Leeds United were also interested in signing him on the final day of the transfer window. In the end he stayed at the King Power and watched from the sidelines as Enzo Maresca’s side won promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Souttar was left out of the City side for their pre-season game against Palermo at Chesterfield last week, with new Foxes boss Steve Cooper selecting a 23-man squad with two players for every position and an extra goalkeeper. Former Blade Conor Coady, Caleb Okoli, Jannik Vestergaard and Ben Nelson all played ahead of Souttar, with the injured Wout Faes also ahead of him in the pecking order.
Leicester paid Stoke £15m for Souttar 18 months ago but are understood to be open to letting him leave, with United short of right-footed centre-half options after the departures of Chris Basham, Mason Holgate and John Egan earlier this summer. With uncertainty over the likes of Anel Ahmedhodzic, Vini Souza and Will Osula, the Blades could also be short of height when the new season kicks off - a problem that the giant Souttar would certainly begin to address.
“Wout had his first session back and had a kick to his toe that swelled up,” Cooper explained of his selection. “The other boys you mentioned, we’ve got a lot of centre-backs here at the moment, so we’re managing that, and then with the younger boys, there are players in and out in terms of minutes, because there are under-21s games and chances for players to get their minutes elsewhere. It’s all part of a pre-season plan.”
United are also understood to be interested in Chris Mepham, the Wales international at Bournemouth who has also been linked with Glasgow giants Celtic.