Sheffield United are keen to sign Preston North End defender Ben Davies but are unwilling to pay £10 million for the Championship ace, according to the Sun (5 September, page 59).
Things change at the speed of light in football.
And a Blades side who confounded the critics by finishing in the top half during their first Premier League season since 2006/07 are already starting to glance nervously over their shoulder.
A 2-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday was their seventh straight – Chris Wilder’s longest losing run in charge of his boyhood club.
As a result, Sheffield United are stuck in the relegation zone without a single point to their name heading into the international break. And, to make matters worse, their pursuit of a new central defender continues to hit the buffers.
The Steel City side had identified Huddersfield Town’s Terence Kongolo as the man to replace the stricken Jack O’Connell at Bramall Lane but that deal is now in doubt (Mail).
Omar Colley will not be arriving from Sampdoria either, according to the Gambian’s agent (SampNews24).
According to the Sun, Sheffield United are unwilling to pay the £10 million Preston are demanding for 25-year-old Davies, a centre-half whose technical ability and composure in possession belies his giant frame.
“We feel we have to add – the situation with Jack (O’Connell) being out for six months,” Wilder said when asked about a new central defender.
The window slams shut tonight, of course, and Sheffield United could still be tempted to change their mind on Davies’ price-tag.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
