Mo Besic says he wants to stay in England “for a long time” having previously hinted at extending his stay at Sheffield United.
Besic is currently on a season-long loan at Bramall Lane from Everton. The midfielder has made 13 appearances so far this term, scoring once.
Having struggled to get into Chris Wilder’s team in the first half of 2019/20, Besic has become increasingly more prominent. The 27-year-old featured in eight of the nine league games between December 8 and January 21. This included starts in both fixtures against Manchester City.
It’s perhaps why, despite being a squad player as things stand, Besic seems open to extending his time with the Blades beyond this campaign.
When asked in January if he wanted to stay, the Bosnia and Herzegovina international said: “The people who need to know what I want, they know. So we will see what will happen.
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“It’s an unbelievable team, I’m really happy to be here and be part of this.
“I’m just really relaxed. It’s nothing big for me. As long as Chris Wilder is happy I will play for him.”
Why Besic now seems more likely to stay
(Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)
Like everyone else in the United Kingdom, Besic is currently experiencing lockdown. As a Muslim, the Toffees loanee is also going through Ramadan at the moment – which involves fasting during daylight hours.
It is the reaction to his religious beliefs in England that has convinced Besic he wants to stay. Although he is a Bosnian international – with 44 caps to date – he was born and raised in Germany.
“In England, I feel so much respect from the people here. I never had any problems,” Besic told BBC Sport.
“In Germany it was a little bit different because they didn’t respect you so much. That is why it has been six years for me in England and I hope to stay for a long time.”
When Besic has played for United he has generally impressed. The defensive midfielder enters the final year of his contract at Goodison Park this summer. Having spent the past two-and-a-half years away from Merseyside on loan, there is every chance he could leave.
With Besic’s previous comments about remaining in South Yorkshire and current ones about staying in England, if the Blades did want to make his move permanent, there is a very strong possibility it could happen.
