Should Sheffield United join the list of Premier League clubs interested in signing Birmingham City forward Che Adams?
The Sun reports that Southampton are leading the chase for Adams and are ready to offer £14m for his services. Burnley and Crystal Palace are also understood to be keen on the 22-year-old.
Apparently Birmingham are holding out for closer to £16m, but it seems Adams could be on his way to the top flight of English football this summer.
It is known that the Blades are also in the market for at least one new striker following their promotion. The Sheffield Star outlines that manager Chris Wilder has some specific requirements when it comes to identifying them.
Wilder wants players who are within the club’s budget and can make the step up from the Championship. Swansea City’s Oli McBurnie is said to top his wish list, while Neal Maupay of Brentford is another being considered.
How much McBurnie would potentially cost is unclear, but the Daily Mail claims it will take around £20m to land Maupay.
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Yet should United also be looking at Adams?
Why Che Adams could be good for Sheffield United
Like McBurnie, Adams also scored 22 league goals in England’s second tier last term. Maupay did admittedly fare better with 25 strikes.
Not only that, but he is also a familiar face at Bramall Lane. Adams was sold to the Blues by the South Yorkshire club in the summer of 2016 – just as Wilder took charge.
At 22 he is also the same age as Maupay and a year younger than McBurnie.
However, what could really tip things in the Blades’ favour is the cost. Adams is valued at £16m, but Sky Sports reports United inserted a 20 percent sell-on clause into the deal when they sold the attacker for £2m.
Therefore if they met the asking price, they would effectively have to pay £3.2m to themselves. It means that Adams would be available to the Blades for £12.8m – making him significantly cheaper than Maupay.