Sheffield United and Luton Town amongst transfer battle for £4m-rated midfielder | OneFootball

IF Elfsborg midfielder Timothy Ouma is of interest to both Sheffield United and Luton Town this January.

Sheffield United and Luton Town are set to do battle this January, with the Championship sides keen on signing IF Elfsborg midfielder Timothy Ouma in the transfer window.

According to Swedish outlet Sport Bladet, both Sheffield United and Luton are eyeing a move this winter for the versatile midfielder. It's not the first time either club has been linked to Ouma, who has found himself on the radar of Premier League Brentford as well.

As per Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, both the Hatters and Brentford were eyeing a winter move for Ouma. Then, according to a report from Nixon back in November, the Blades were said to have their sights set on the 20-year-old as they look to strengthen in the middle of the pitch.

However, Ouma is reportedly attracting interest from the Premier League as well off the back of his impressive performances in the Swedish top-flight in 2024, which includes Thomas Frank's side.

The young Kenyan recently made 23 appearances in the Allsvenskan, contributing one goal and one assist, and it was previously understood that Elfsborg placed a £5 million asking price on the midfielder ahead of potential interest in the winter.

Interest grows from Luton and Sheffield United in Timothy Ouma

The attacking midfielder began his senior career with the Nairobi City Stars in the Kenyan Premier League, making his debut in November 2020 as a 16-year-old, perhaps showing just how highly-rated he is in his homeland, and he became a regular feature for the rest of the season.

The 2021/22 campaign saw him become one of the first names on the teamsheet at Nairobi City Stars, and IF Elfsborg pounced to sign him the following summer, putting pen-to-paper on a four-year deal with the Allsvenskan side. He's since developed into an important player in recent seasons, and he's impressed both on the domestic scene and in European competitions this season.

Per Sport Bladet, when Elfsborg trained today at their training camp in the La Finca Resort just outside Torrevieja, Ouma was not present as he is about to change clubs for what is described as a potential record sale for the Boras club.

Discussions are said to be underway, according to club manager Stefan Andreasson. The report states several English clubs are chasing the powerful midfielder, with Championship clubs Luton and Sheffield United also in the picture, along with other unnamed sides.

Hakon Valdimarsson left for Brentford last winter and Emir Bajrami moved to Twente in 2010, with both sales yielding just over 40 million kronor. However, the report states it is likely to be in excess of 60 million kronor, which makes it likely to be at least £4.4 million.

Timothy Ouma almost feels like a Brighton signing

Sheffield United are aiming to gain promotion straight back to the Premier League at the first attempt, and Chris Wilder’s side find themselves in the mix for automatic promotion, while Luton are aiming to survive this season following a disappointing campaign post-relegation from the Premier League.

For both, signings could be crucial this month. A £4-5 million move for the 20-year-old in January could prove a smart move long-term and short-term. You need only look at Brighton's recruitment model in recent seasons, which has seen them sign unheralded youngsters from abroad for nominal fees, only for them to develop into top players and then be sold for big money.

The Scandinavian market has been a happy hunting ground for the Seagulls, and many clubs are seemingly looking to emulate that model and replicate it with similar results. Ouma, who has multiple caps for Kenya already after making his debut in 2021, is versatile, and can play as a central midfielder, defensive midfielder, and as a winger, so it's easy to see why he's attracting interest from English clubs.