Chris Wilder welcomed ten new players to Sheffield United’s camp during the latest transfer window, as the Blades manager sought to assemble a squad capable of challenging for immediate promotion back to Premier League.
He appears to have done just that, with the South Yorkshire outfit very much in the Championship automatic promotion mix heading into some crucial games, which is an admirable feat given his side’s recent finish at the bottom of the top-flight on 16 points.
Now, he will want his team to immediately climb back up a league and prove that they belong in the top level, with a potential January signing demonstrating that they mean business.
Sheffield United in for ex-Premier League winner
According to a recent report from Turkish outlet Fanatik, as relayed by Sport Witness, the promotion chasers have reignited their interest in former England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with talks currently taking place between the ex-Liverpool midfielder’s agent and the Championship side.
After been connected with the experienced 31-year-old in the summer window, it now appears that a move might be back on the table later this month, with his present employers Beskitas also looking to offload him since his minutes have been depleted this season playing in Turkey.
Having already lifted the Premier League title with the Reds, this might be viewed as a coup on the part of the second-tier side in acquiring Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has also been linked with French club Nantes.
What Oxlade-Chamberlain could offer
Landing the former Champions League winner may mean that United’s interest in Southampton youngster Shea Charles fades, according to the Sheffield Star, who reported recently that Charles was being considered as a new midfield addition for the Blades despite playing on loan for Sheffield Wednesday this season.
After all, bringing in a player of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s caliber would be a significant step up from signing the former Owls number 44 on loan, regardless of Charles’ breakout moment at Hillsborough.
Charles will undoubtedly have a good career in the game, having scored one goal and four assists centrally for Danny Rohl’s side this season in league action before having his loan period cut short.
However, Wilder may prefer the finished article to acquiring a bright teenager, with Oxlade-Chamberlain’s versatility to play in a variety of positions considerably benefiting his injury-depleted club.
| Position played | Games played | Goals scored | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| CM | 115 | 11 | 3 |
| RM | 82 | 9 | 11 |
| RW | 56 | 5 | 6 |
| LM | 40 | 6 | 6 |
| LW | 26 | 6 | 0 |
| AM | 25 | 4 | 4 |
| RB | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| DM | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| CF | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sourced by Transfermarkt | |||
Interestingly, Oxlade-Chamberlain has played in ten different positions over the course of his varied playing career, with Wilder hoping to use him in his preferred central midfield role with Ollie Arblaster out for the foreseeable future.
However, rather than adding depth in a position where Tom Davies has struggled with fitness, Oxlade-Chamberlain could slot in wherever needed and deliver a solid performance, alleviating some selection difficulties for the United manager.
One fear is that Oxlade-Chamberlain’s “incredible” days at Liverpool – as Jurgen Klopp once characterized him – are long gone, but he shown there was still life in his legs last season with Beskitas, as seen in the magnificent solo goal above.
He’d finish the 2023/24 season with four goals and one assist in league play, and his offensive prowess is another reason Wilder might want to sign him soon.
While Charles may be the flavor of the month in the second tier, signing the four-time FA Cup winner would definitely demonstrate to other Championship clubs that United is serious about promotion.
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