Blackburn Rovers are interested in signing Sheffield United defender Ben Heneghan during the January transfer window.
They are one of three Championship clubs keen on Heneghan, according to Football Insider. Luton Town and Wigan Athletic are the others.
Heneghan is currently on loan at Blackpool in a deal which expires on January 14. The defender’s impressive performances in League One have convinced the trio he can make the step up.
If Heneghan leaves this month it will end what has been a disappointing two-and-a-half years at Bramall Lane. Signed from Motherwell in the summer of 2017, the 26-year-old has played just once for the Blades.
Instead, Heneghan has been loaned to Bloomfield Road for the past two seasons. The centre-back’s current contract with United expires this summer.
Can Sheffield United strike a mutually beneficial deal with Blackburn?
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The Blades might be hoping that Blackburn is Heneghan’s preferred choice. That is because they could potentially use his sale to acquire a player themselves.
The Guardian reports that the South Yorkshire side still have an interest in Rovers defender Darragh Lenihan.
This is a connection that stretches all the way back to the summer of 2017 – the same period as the signing of Heneghan. As the Lancashire Telegraph outlines, United had advances for Lenihan rejected at the time.
That interest was rekindled this summer following the Blades’ promotion to the Premier League – again, to no avail.
Yet Lenihan would surely now be tempted by a move to the top flight of English football as Chris Wilder targets defensive signings.
Nottingham Forest captain Joe Worrall is also said to be on his radar. Meanwhile, Wales Online previously claimed Swansea City’s Joe Rodon was a target.
However, Lenihan perhaps represents the most likely option due to the Blades’ extra leverage because of Blackburn’s interest in Heneghan.