According to a recent source, Sheffield United are looking to bolster their priority position by signing a “clinical” Championship star.
Blades pushing for promotion
Chris Wilder’s side is performing admirably in the Championship as the January transfer window closes, following a strong recent run of results. The Blades are in a solid position to return to the Premier League on their first attempt, and they are attempting to capitalise on the opportunity by making acquisitions capable of assisting their promotion quest.
The main goal this month has been to reinforce in attacking areas, and Wilder has accomplished that by quickly bringing in Ben Brereton Diaz and, most recently, Tom Cannon.
As a result, the United manager may shift his focus to strengthening other sections of the squad, with Football League World reporting that signing a new defender is now a priority to replace Harry Souttar, who suffered a season-ending injury in December.
The Blades are interested in Jimmy Dunne, a defender from Queens Park Rangers. He is out of contract at the end of the season and might be available this month if Wilder pursues a deal.
QPR are having a good season, sitting only four points outside the play-offs, but they risk losing the 26-year-old for free in the summer if they don’t cash in this winter.
Although Jack Robinson has done well in Souttar’s absence, Sheffield United are looking for a replacement for the Leicester defender and are now negotiating a deal for Dunne.
Dunne could be the perfect Souttar replacement
Souttar was particularly impressive in the air during his time at Bramall Lane, and there are indications that the QPR defender could be a comparable replacement in that regard, having demonstrated his aerial ability on a regular basis over the past year.
| Statistic per 90 | Jimmy Dunne | Harry Souttar |
| Clearances | 5.69 (99th percentile) | 5.55 (89th percentile) |
| Aerials won | 4.86 (99th percentile) | 3.87 (92nd percentile) |
| Blocks | 1.06 (48th percentile) | 0.97 (15th percentile) |
| Interceptions | 1.11 (59th percentile) | 1.27 (65th percentile) |
| Tackles | 2.22 (66th percentile) | 1.12 (34th percentile) |
As shown, Dunne outperforms Souttar on practically every crucial defensive metric, suggesting he could be an ideal replacement for the injured Australian.
The defender earns £8,500 a week and has four goals in the Championship this season. Journalist Sam Tabuteau described him as “clinical” in December.
The Blades are already in a solid position to win promotion to the Premier League, but signing a quality defender might help them get there, and Dunne appears to be the ideal addition to the group.
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