Since before the transfer window commenced, Sheffield United fringe midfielder Ismaila Coulibaly has been actively pursuing a move to AIK in Sweden. The midfielder has been reportedly determined to secure his transfer to the Allsvenskan, but as of now, no concrete developments have emerged.
Chris Wilder’s recent remarks suggesting the possibility of loaning Coulibaly away from Sheffield United this January have surely piqued the interest of AIK. Thomas Bernsten, the club’s director of football, spoke to Fotbollskanalen about it on Tuesday, indicating AIK’s keenness on the potential transfer.
He said: “Ismaila is a player I know well. If he ends up at AIK, it would be good, but I think that there are quite a few others clubs that are in the picture, and we have a challenge with our foreigner quota, so we’ll see.”
He later added, “There are probably many clubs involved”.
Previous reports suggested that the Sheffield United player had a strong preference for AIK. However, Bernsten’s comments imply that this might no longer be the case. This situation is worth monitoring closely as it could potentially result in a very late departure, depending upon whether the Swedish side can offload a foreign player in the coming days, due to the Swedish league’s regulations.
What once appeared to be a promising signing for around £2 million, per Sky Sports, the Malian’s career has really come to a standstill. It’s quite the come down when you factor in the Blades reportedly rejected £10 million from AC Milan and £12.9 million in the summer of 2021.