Sheffield United sign £4m Barnsley FC man and land Middlesbrough FC defender - AI predicts summer transfers
The summer ahead will be a crucial one for Sheffield United.
With seven games left to play, the Blades are languishing in 17th in the Championship table.
They are 11 points clear of the relegation zone and 13 points adrift of the play-offs, meaning another season in the second tier looks likely.
Parachute payments will come to an end and the club’s chief executive Stephen Bettis has warned there will need to be a cut to the wage bill.
It does not mean a promotion tilt cannot be planned, but the Blades will need to be shrewd with their business.
Last month, Bettis told The Yorkshire Post: “If we don't get promoted, it'll be the first time in eight years that we are really a Championship club. We've either been in the Premier League or a Championship club with parachute payments.”
It is difficult to predict how the summer will unfold at Bramall Lane, so artificial intelligence has been asked to forecast who the Blades will get on board.
Here are the players AI believes will be signed by Sheffield United ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Reyes Cleary (Barnsley, £4m)
A jet-heeled wideman who can also play up front, Cleary was the subject of Championship interest in the winter window. He was linked with Sheffield United, but ended up staying at Oakwell.
With Barnsley seemingly set for another season of League One football, the 21-year-old could again be in the sights of clubs higher up the pyramid.
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Elijah Just (Motherwell, £800,000)
A right-sided winger, Just has been a revelation north of the border since his move to Motherwell from Danish outfit AC Horsens.
The 25-year-old New Zealand international has registered seven goals and seven assists across 36 outings in Motherwell colours.
Dael Fry (Middlesbrough, free transfer)
In a summer of belt-tightening, free transfer deals could prove useful for Sheffield United.
Fry boasts a wealth of experience and despite having spent the entirety of his career on Middlesbrough’s books, is out of contract in the summer. An imposing centre-back at 6ft 4ins, the 28-year-old has made just 15 league starts this season.
Daniel Karlsbakk (Sarpsborg 08, £7m)
The 22-year-old forward has made waves in Norway with Sarpsborg, fuelling transfer talk with regular goals.
A former Norway youth international, he has been linked with both Sheffield United and Middlesbrough.