Sheffield United continue to monitor Schlupp

SHEFFIELD UNITED are continuing to monitor Leicester City’s highly-rated teen striker Jeffrey Schlupp - expected to leave the Foxes on loan next season.

Blades boss Danny Wilson is a big fan of the 19-year-old frontman, who almost joined the club last term, only for injury to scupper a potential deal.

Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace are also admirers of Schlupp, who fired six goals for Leicester last term, including a hat-trick in a 4-1 Carling Cup win at Rotherham last August.

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But boss Nigel Pearson is not thought to be keen on loaning out the Hamburg-born striker to a rival Championship club.

Meanwhile, former Sheffield Wednesday no.2 Terry Burton is backing the Owls to be in the promotion shake-up in the Championship in 2012-13.

Burton left Hillsborough last week to become the new reserve team and head development coach at Arsenal, but is confident the Owls can follow the lead of a host of previously promoted League One clubs and challenge at the top end of the table next term.

He said: “Teams that have come up to the Championship in the past with that momentum of finishing the season well have done really well. Southampton, Brighton and Norwich have all done well. I see no reason why this club can’t go on and achieve the same things and I will be keeping my fingers crossed.”

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The Owls are hoping to finalise deals for midfield duo Paulo Regula and David Norris this week, although Yorkshire rivals Leeds are firmly in the hunt to sign the latter.

Boss Dave Jones is also running the rule over former Nottingham Forest and Barnsley frontman Marlon Harewood, 32, released by Forest at the end of last season.Leeds boss Neil Warnock is hoping to finalise several deals this week, with the club in talks with Portsmouth over the signing of Luke Varney.

Warnock also wants to bring in Varney’s clubmate Norris, QPR keeper Paddy Kenny and Leicester City Lee Peltier, while last season’s top-scorer Ross McCormack continues to be linked with a move to Huddersfield.

Hull boss Steve Bruce has promised that every Hull City player will be handed a clean slate this pre season and will spend this week looking at his recently-inherited Tigers squad during the club’s training camp in Portugal before making his major moves in the transfer market.

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The club is said to be close to bringing in Swiss goalkeeper Eldon Jakupovic to rival Ben Amos for the goalkeeper duties at the KC Stadium.

The 27-year-old is also a target for Ipswich Town.

Doncaster Rovers’ midfielder Brian Stock has been linked with a move across the Pennines to Burnley.

After missing out on the signing of Adam Clayton, the Clarets are expected to switch their attentions to Stock, 30, likely to leave Rovers following their relegation to League One.

Stock has a year left on his Keepmoat deal, but Rovers are keen to reduce their wage bill and are thought to willing to sell the former Bournemouth man.

In national news, Chelsea and England defender John Terry is due to stand trial later today, accused of racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand.