Sheffield United are preparing a “final” offer for Swansea City striker Oli McBurnie, according to the Sun (14/7).
The Blades are hoping a bid close to £15m will be enough to convince Swansea to sell. However, their chairman Trevor Birch says only “knockout offers” will do.
“We will try to keep hold of key players, those players who we all know are going to be key,” Birch told a fans forum, as quoted by BBC Sport.
“That’s something I am going to try to achieve.
“There may be a knockout offer that the club can’t refuse – that’s the same for any club – but we haven’t had that yet.”
Wales Online reports the Swans are holding out for closer to £20m for McBurnie. They have financial problems and are only targeting “loans and frees” this summer. Yet the club is under no pressure to sell players either.
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That is because of the departure of Dan James to Manchester United. As well as the expected exit of high earners Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Borja Baston and Jefferson Montero.
What if Swansea keep hold of McBurnie?
If the Blades fail in their attempt to sign the Scotland international, then they will turn their attention firmly towards Brentford’s Neal Maupay.
Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion are also understood to be interested in Maupay, but the South Yorkshire side are in a good position.
Firstly, they can offer Premier League football, which the Baggies cannot. While Villa are keen they have already spent big this summer, including a club record £22m on forward Wesley.
The Villans remain interested in Maupay and are managed by the Frenchman’s former Bees boss, Dean Smith. Yet they appear to have already concentrated their transfer funds following promotion on other areas of the squad.