Chris Wilder’s Premier League surprise packages reportedly want to bring Ipswich Town’s League One favourite Luke Woolfenden to Bramall Lane.
Ipswich Town defender Luke Woolfenden admits that he is flattered by links with Premier League high-flyers Sheffield United, in quotes reported by The Star.
You need more than strength in the tackle and a intelligent reading of the game to thrive in a Chris Wilder side.
Fortunately for Woolfenden, who was linked with a move to Bramall Lane by The Sun (14 January, page 50), the 21-year-old is proving in League One that he has the skill set to shine as one of Sheffield United’s so-called ‘overlapping centre-backs’.
Ipswich boss Paul Lambert has taken a leaf out of Wilder’s book recently and Woolfenden channelled his inner-Chris Basham with a brilliant run and assist during the 4-1 thrashing of Accrington Stanley this month.
With speculation rising, Lambert has claimed that a technically gifted, homegrown talent is worth £10 million in today’s market. And while Woolfenden is fully focused on keeping the Tractor Boys chugging away near the top of the table, the youngster admitted that he is proud to see his performances catch the eye.
“It’s nice to be linked with big clubs,” he said.
“Everyone’s dream and goal is to play as high as they possibly can and, for me, I obviously want to play in the Premier League. But that doesn’t mean I want to leave right now.
“If you let your head get turned you might go out and have a shocker of a game so I’m not going to let that kind of thing get to me.”
With Ipswich in the midst of a promotion dogfight, Sheffield United will probably have to bide their time if they want to lure Woolfenden to the Steel City.
But with interest rising in the likes of John Egan and Jack O’Connell, the former Swindon loanee could be a ready-made replacement when the time comes.
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