Sheffield United could still look to sign Tom Cairney when Slavisa Jokanovic arrives this week, with the Blades open to doing a deal.
Cairney emerged as immediate name linked with the club when Jokanovic was announced as manager. It was claimed last month that Fulham would demand around £10m for Cairney, who was successful under Jokanovic before.
But while talk of a move for Cairney has gone quiet since, the Sheffield Star have now claimed that all is not dead. The local paper suggest that United are keeping tabs on how Cairney reacts to the managerial issues at Craven Cottage.
Scott Parker departed for Bournemouth last night. And with no sign of a new manager coming in immediately, Cairney could look to move on.
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The Star claims that while United won’t want to pay £10m, they could look to compromise with the Cottagers if Jokanovic insists on getting Cairney.
Cairney scored the winning goal for Fulham under Jokanovic as they beat Aston Villa in the playoff final at Wembley. Now 30, the Scottish star is under contract at Fulham until 2024.
Sheffield United News View: Cairney an obvious target who Jokanovic clearly loves
We have written previously how we feel injuries, age, and money would hinder any move United might have planned for Cairney. And we stand by that sentiment in the main.
But (there’s always a but), if Jokanovic really wants him, then who are we to argue really? It’s obvious the Serbian loves Cairney and values him. The thought of putting him back in midfield with Ollie Norwood is clearly something that appeals.
While £10m would be too much, if the club can reach a deal at a lower fee and contract, then it could work out. The question is, will Cairney fancy the move north sitting on such a lucrative deal in London?
Time will tell with that. But if Jokanovic wants Cairney, then in Slav we trust. After all, he did refer to the midfielder as ‘one of the best’ in the Championship in 2017.
