Several media outlets are linking Billy Sharp with a move back to Sheffield United, the club he supported as a boy and the place where he began his professional career back in 2004/5.
The Sheffield Star have reported that Blades manager Nigel Adkins "refused to rule out” a move for Sharp when he was asked, and Sky have gone as far as to claim that the two clubs have already agreed a transfer fee of £500,000 fee with Leeds United for striker Billy Sharp, according to Sky sources.
Adkins has already managed the 29-year-old at three of his previous clubs and the player might be willing to drop down a division in search of regular first team football. He actually made 33 appearances for Leeds last season, but many of them came in games when he only got onto the field as a late substitute, and he only scored five goals in the process.
When he scored the winning goal in his first game against Middlesboro he seemed to be on his way to becoming a cult hero at Elland Road, but somehow his Leeds career never quite took off. His partnership with Mirco Antenucci faltered, with both players waiting for the ball to be delivered to them rather than tracking back, and his prospects weren’t helped when Neil Redfearn moved to a formation that used only one striker.
Now that Leeds have signed Lee Erwin and Chris Wood during the summer it will be even harder for Sharp to win a place ahead of the other strikers in the squad, so it will probably suit both clubs if they can come to a deal. If Leeds can pick up a transfer fee and reduce the wage bill it will help to fund other any other signings that Rösler and Cellino have in mind, and hopefully it won’t be too long before someone takes Steve Morison as well.
The Sheffield Star have claimed that Wigan are also interested in signing Sharp, but no doubt the player would prefer to return to his first club if at all possible. There has also been speculation that Leeds are interested in Sheffield United winger Jamie Murphy and that the two players could be involved in a swap deal, but that has yet to be confirmed. Watch this space.