Sunderland asking price claim emerges amid Sheffield United 'interest' in former Arsenal defender
The 25-year-old has linked with the Blades, although it has been claimed promotion will be required for Sheffield United to stand a chance of landing him.
Their hopes were dented at the weekend, when they fell to a shock defeat on the road against relegation-threatened Plymouth Argyle.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdChris Wilder is said to be keen on recruiting Ballard, who is currently involved in the same promotion race as Sheffield United.
He is thought to be top of the club’s list of ‘old-school’ defenders, although promotion for Sunderland could scupper a deal.
His Sunderland side sit fourth in the Championship, seven points adrift of the third-placed Blades. It is believed he could be one of several players to depart the Stadium of Light if the Black Cats miss out on promotion.
A senior Northern Ireland international, Ballard is a product of Arsenal’s youth system and landed his first professional deal with the Gunners.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad
He failed to make a first-team breakthrough at the Emirates Stadium and after loan spells at Swindon Town, Blackpool and Millwall, joined Sunderland in 2022.
He has since amassed 85 appearances for the Black Cats, although his current campaign has been hampered by injury.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.