Sheffield United announced the signing of Yasser Larouci yesterday, as Paul Heckingbottom made it two in a week in the transfer market.
Benie Traore is set to make it three for Heckingbottom as well, with the young forward set to seal a move and fly out to Portugal in the next 24 hours.
However, while Traore, Larouci and Slimane are signings that very much fit this summer’s recruitment model, one name getting a mention who comes as a surprise is former Blades loanee, Ethan Ampadu.
Ampadu spent time on loan with United during the season the club were relegated from the Premier League. During that year, Ampadu filled in in numerous positions for Chris Wilder, with mixed success.
And according to 90Min, United had shown an interest in bringing Ampadu back to Bramall Lane this summer.
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90Min reports how Ampadu is now set to sign for Leeds United. But that move comes in the face of interest from the likes of United, Burnley and more.
Lauded by Ryan Giggs as a ‘leader‘, Ampadu spent last year in Italy and has failed to live up to the billing in his career so far.
A season in the Championship, then, could do him good.
Sheffield United News View: Ampadu would have been underwhelming
We’re a few seasons down the line now from Ampadu’s first spell at Bramall Lane. But in the main, United fans probably don’t think back too fondly of the Wales star.
Sure, he was a young man in a struggling team that season. But Ampadu didn’t really do enough to show the Blades fans he warranted much more than what we gave him.
It’s interesting to see us linked here. The reality is we probably weren’t, and simply had Ampadu on a list of possibles.
Leeds will hope to get him going in the Championship. And hopefully he does well.
However, had he signed for a second spell at Bramall Lane, it would have been a tad underwhelming in all honesty.