Championship rivals Sheffield United and Leeds United are currently going to war for the signature of former Coventry City playmaker Callum O’Hare this summer, according to the latest reports.
The two Yorkshire clubs are preparing for another season in England’s second tier and, despite having different league objectives ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, both sides have taken quite similar approaches in the transfer market so far as there have been more departures than arrivals.
The Blades have been wiped out. Over the past two weeks, 13 first-team players have left Chris Wilder’s squad which includes the sale of Cameron Archer back to Aston Villa as well as the loss of captain John Egan who left the club at the turn of July following the expiration of his contract.
Meanwhile, Leeds United are preparing for the exit of midfielder Glen Kamara, who is closing in on a £8.6 million switch to Ligue 1 club Rennes. The Frenchman will now join the likes of rising star Archie Gray, Luis Sinisterra, Marc Roca, Robin Koch, Diego Llorente, Charlie Cresswell, Luke Ayling, and Jamie Shackleton, among others, who have all parted from Elland Road this summer.
Both clubs are looking to bolster their squads ahead of the new season but may need to dip into the free-agent transfer market due to their respective financial situations. One player who has caught the eye of the two bitter rivals is former Coventry star O’Hare who recently left the Sky Blues after his deal expired two weeks ago.
Journalist Alan Nixon issued an important update on the transfer saga on Saturday afternoon, claiming that Sheffield United are leading the race for the 26-year-old. However, there had been rumblings over the past few months about Burnley‘s keenness to bring the attacking midfielder to Turf Moor this summer but Nixon was quick to dismiss these rumours, stating that the Clarets are “not involved”.
Writer’s View
O’Hare would be a superb signing for both Sheffield United and Leeds given that he is a proven Championship player and has been one of the best number ’10s’ in the English Football League over the past few years, proven by his 52 goal contributions in 182 games for Coventry.
Furthermore, this would be a no-brainer acquisition for both clubs. O’Hare will be coming in as a free agent but still boasts a market value of £1.9 million, meaning there is a high possibility of earning a seven-figure profit on his sale in the future if he hits the ground running with his next team.
Deputy Head of Writing
