Sheffield United Opinion: The acquisition of free-agents Erik Durm and James Wilson could be the perfect start for the Blades
According to Sheffield Star, Sheffield United have been linked with moves for out-of-contract Premier League duo Erik Durm and James Wilson, with reports claiming that Blades manager Chris Wilder is looking to bolster his squad ahead of the upcoming Premier League season.
Wilson and Durm are not the only free-agents to have been linked with a move to Bramall Lane, though, with Sheffield United also weighing up moves for out-of-contract Everton duo Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka. (h/t Star)
Wilson spent this past season on loan at Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership but the 23-year-old’s contract at Man United is set to expire at the end of the month.
It is unlikely that the chiefs at Old Trafford would be willing to offer him fresh terms after failing to make an impact in the first-team over the past three seasons and Wilson might as well be available for free this summer.
Durm, on the other hand, is nearing the end of his contract at Huddersfield Town and one can get the feeling that a player of his calibre is not going to stick around in the Championship.
The 27-year-old German international featured on 28 occasions in the Premier League this past season, as the Terriers finished rock-bottom of the standings and suffered relegation to the second-tier, and Sheffield United are seemingly prepared to offer him an escape route if he really wants to stay in the Premier League.
The Blades’ links with free-agents Erik Durm and James Wilson should come as a piece of welcome news to the fans at Bramall Lane, who are likely to anticipate the arrival of a few fresh faces this summer.
Sheffield secured promotion to the top-flight for the first time since 2006-07 as runners-up u to Norwich City in the Championship but it is a no-brainer that they need to add more depth and quality to their ranks to thrive in the Premier League by bringing in a few upgrades.
According to the Daily Mail, right-back George Baldock has been lined up by Celtic as a replacement for Mikael Lustig, which should prompt the Blades to look for alternatives in the market, given that the 26-year-old was one of the architects of their promotion-winning campaign in the Championship this past season.
With a wealth of Champions League, Europa League, Bundesliga and Premier League experience under his belt, Erik Durm fits the bill of a high-profile signing for the Blades this summer.
A part of the German side that won the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the 27-year-old is capable of playing at both right-back and left-back and also further up the pitch as a wing-back on either side of the pitch, meaning that he would be a tailor-made fit for Wilder’s back thee-system with two wing-backs.
Wilder rotated between Kieran Freeman and Baldock in that right wing-back role in the Championship, and while Baldock’s potential departure would still leave the former as a viable option, one cannot help but feel that Durm, with his versatility would be a massive upgrade.
While Durm could go on to play a big role for the Blades in the Premier League next season, Man United academy product James Wilson would definitely add a lot of youthful exuberance to a rather ageing forward line.
The Blades are currently short of options up front following the departures of loanees Gary Madine and Scott Hogan to their parent clubs Cardiff City and Aston Villa, and while Billy Sharp and David McGoldrick contributed with a lot of goals in the Championship, the Blades need to be aware of the fact that they are already above the age of 30.
Wilson’s career at Man United has failed to take off due to stiff competition for places in the first-team, whilst recurrent injuries have also played a big role in stalling his progress.
However, the former England U-21 international continues to be a fine young talent and his versatility to lead the line and play as a supporting striker in a No.10 role should add a lot more depth to the club’s attacking ranks.
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To sum it up, Sheffield United need to aim for a overall squad upgrade this summer and the acquisition of James Wilson and Erik Durm would definitely be a step in the right direction.
