Leicester City defender Harry Souttar is set to complete a medical today ahead of a loan move to Sheffield United, per Football Insider.
The 25-year-old made a total of three appearances for Leicester City in their Championship winning campaign last term, starting just once.
The Blades have been searching for defensive reinforcements all summer and now they look to be making progress in this department. Not only are they set to finalise a loan deal for 6ft7 Australian international Souttar but they are also close to announcing a loan signing from Chelse for versatile 20-year-old Alfie Gilchrist.
With both of these signings soon to be revealed by the club Chris Wilder now has right centre-back cover and right-back cover. Gilchrist meanwhile can cover both positions adequately.
Sheffield United pushing for the signature of talented winger
According to transfer expert Alan Nixon, United are pushing harder to sign Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. The Eagles are allowing Rak-Sakyi to join a Championship club on loan for the season with the Blades being a possible option. Queens Park Rangers are another team interested.
But while there have been reports suggesting Rak-Sakyi would prefer to stay in London, a temporary move to South Yorkshire could be the more attractive route; Nixon has claimed that United are willing to give the Palace man a bumper pay rise if he chooses to join the Blades over QPR.
Blades turn their attention to new goalkeeper target
In other news, there has been an update regarding United’s search for a new goalkeeper. Over the past fortnight the Blades have been heavily linked with Plymouth Argyle shot-stopper Michael Cooper, with Argyle demanding a fee of £3 million.
Despite being on the verge of selling Will Osula to Newcastle United for £10 million plus, the Blades are now ready to switch their priority target to Brighton & Hove Albion keeper Carl Rushworth, who is set to leave the south coast on loan. The switch is apparently due to Plymouth being angered by United’s negotiation process, per Nixon.
The Blades need to sort out the goalkeeping department urgently and they have quite a few promising shot-stoppers to choose from.
Right now United face having a subpar goalkeeper depth. Croatian goalkeeper Grbic, who had a disastrous spell with the club at the back end of last season where he conceded 32 goals in ten appearances. Adam Davies has played just 19 league games in the past three seasons combined, but right now he appears to be Chris Wilder’s number one choice.
Names such as: Carl Rushworth, who impressed on his loan spell at Swansea City from Brighton, Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson has been linked with United, and Plymouth Argyle’s Michael Cooper should be priority for the number one spot.