Sheffield United are close to signing their first player of the summer, with midfielder Anis Slimane set to arrive in S2.
Slimane has been linked with United in the last few weeks and it seems the Blades are edging closer to completing a deal for the Tunisian international.
According to reports from Foot Mercato over in France, Slimane has now been left out of Brondby’s squad for their pre-season games. It’s claimed he has been omitted pending a transfer. United are, of course, expected to be the team to sign him.
Slimane, who plays midfield, featured for Tunisia in the World Cup and is set to arrive at Bramall Lane for a fee of around £2m.
Given Paul Heckingbottom’s modest budget, Slimane is exactly the type of signing United needed to target this summer.
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The Blades boss is hoping more faces will follow. Benie Traore is another being linked with a cut-price move, while United maintain an interest in Manchester City pair Tommy Doyle and James McAtee.
Sheff U News View: Slimane just the start…hopefully
As the season edges closer, there has to be a sense of urgency over getting some new players in the door.
The squad looks worryingly low on numbers and quality at the moment. Sure, we have a solid foundation of players such as Egan, Anel, Berge, Ndiaye and McBurnie to build around.
But those guys will need help and it’s vital United sign players like Slimane and more.
This one is a low-risk gamble, given the funds involved. But further down the line, United are going to need to get more faces in and spend a bit more money.
From there, it will be down to Hecky to mesh it all together and ensure United put up a good fight against relegation.