£97.5m Sheffield United quintet reassigned to PL clubs including Leeds United after play-off final loss
As soon as Sheffield United missed out on automatic promotion following a season-derailing run of four losses in five games, their supporters would have feared the worst heading into the play-offs amid their dire record in these dramatic four-team shootouts.
The 2024/25 campaign has been the season of broken hoodoos, with Spurs, Newcastle United ending their prolonged trophy droughts, while Crystal Palace won their first silverware, but the Blades did not follow the script in the play-offs.
No club has a worse record than the South Yorkshire outfit in the play-offs, with Saturday’s heartbreaking last-minute loss to Sunderland their 10th failed attempt to gain promotion via the best, but most stressful, route and their fourth defeat in a final.
Even with the Championship clearly more fun than the Premier League for yo-yo clubs like Sheffield United, Chris Wilder‘s side will be reeling from this latest failure and the picture at Bramall Lane could become even more gloomy this summer if some of their standout talents are lured elsewhere.
Sheffield United’s recent takeover and ongoing parachute payments soften the blow of missing out on record play-off final prize money and make sales less of a necessity than it was for Leeds United last summer, but certain players will attract interest so we have reassigned a Blades quintet worth £97.5m combined to Premier League clubs…
Ollie Arblaster to Brighton & Hove Albion (£20m)
The breakthrough of Arblaster was the main positive from Sheff Utd’s last campaign in the Premier League and he was one of the Championship’s stand-out performers before suffering a season-ending cruciate ligament injury in November.
The 21-year-old was a huge miss during the second half of the season, even with the impressive displays of fellow youngster Sydie Peck, and he should be raring to go at the start of the 2025/26 campaign with his return from injury imminent.
That is, if the Blades manage to keep their prized asset. Arblaster’s injury has reduced his chances of leaving this summer as his absence keeps him away from lascivious eyes, but he attracted serious interest from Brighton in 2024 with a view to a £20m move and their precise approach to identifying transfer targets could ensure the starlet remains on their radar, regardless of his serious injury.
READ: Championship play-off prize money: What was at stake for Sheffield United and Sunderland?
Harrison Burrows to Crystal Palace (£10m)
The Blades got themselves a bargain when they signed 22-year-old Burrows from Peterborough United for around £2m as the attacking wing-back seamlessly transitioned from League One to the Championship.
A season with 12 goal involvements has seen his value (according to transfermarkt) rise to £10m ahead of the summer window and he could become an option for Premier League clubs with wing-back formations certainly in fashion.
Crystal Palace are perhaps the best at utilising a 3-4-3 formation as they have put Manchester United to shame this season, and Burrows would be an affordable option to cover/replace Tyrick Mitchell amid loose speculation linking him with a switch to Old Trafford.
MORE CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Sunderland on right side of late Wembley drama for once to earn Premier League return
👉 The biggest point deductions in English football history with Man City FFP verdict expected
👉 Slot to Leeds, Amorim to Liverpool, Howe to Celtic: Premier League manager near-misses
Michael Cooper to Leeds United (£7.5m)
Sheffield United came up short to Leeds United in the race for promotion, finishing 10 points behind the champions, but Wilder’s side were certainly stronger than their Yorkshire rivals in the goalkeeping department.
Leeds probably would have broken the Championship’s record points tally of 106 had Illan Meslier not cost them with several high-profile mistakes, while Cooper has a strong case to be the best goalkeeper in the second-tier 2024/25, though Viktor Johansson would rightly say otherwise.
Former Plymouth Argyle ‘keeper Cooper was another bargain at £2m and transfermarkt are arguably not doing him justice with an updated valuation of £7.5m. One of Leeds United’s transfer priorities will be to sign a new goalkeeper to end their broken relationship with Meslier, and they could do worse than raid their rivals for their No.1.
READ: Ten players Leeds United could sign as ‘new Raphinha’ to ensure Premier League survival
Gustavo Hamer to Leeds United (£30m)
The Blades were fortunate to keep Hamer last summer as his performances in 2023/24 warranted another season in the Premier League and he has starred for Wilder’s team this term, with his 2024/25 Championship Player of the Season award increasing his price tag to a reported £30m.
The ex-Coventry City standout could play against former teammate Viktor Gyokeres next season as he’s arguably the most likely of Sheffield United’s top talents to move on this summer, with interest likely from across Europe.
Leeds remain an option after they made a cheeky attempt to sign him last summer and he would certainly bolster their attack ahead of an arduous battle to avoid relegation, which they will inevitably lose.
It would especially hurt the Blades to sell Hamer to arch-rivals Leeds United, but their strong financial position would at least enable them to demand a significant chunk of the Premier League newbie’s budget this summer.
Vinicius Souza to Fulham (£30m)
Arblaster was arguably the Championship’s best central midfielder at the start of this season, but Souza took on this mantle during the youngster’s absence in a sensational solo campaign for the Brazilian.
Souza, who also proved himself in the Premier League with Sheff Utd, would be a good addition for most of the Small 14, with the Blades expected to hold firm on a second reported £30m asking price.
Alternatively, the 25-year-old could opt for a move to the continent to compete in a European competition, but Fulham have been mentioned as a possible suitor and he would provide quality competition or be an ideal replacement for Sasa Lukic.