£2m target snubs Hull City for Sheffield United as Chris Wilder role in transfer hijack revealed | OneFootball

Sheffield United are set to sign Kieffer Moore from under the noses of Hull City, with Chris Wilder playing a key role in the transfer.

Highlights

Chris Wilder played a decisive role in convincing AFC Bournemouth striker Kieffer Moore to move to Sheffield United over Hull City, per Football League World sources.

Moore was heading Hull to sign for Tim Walter, according to a report from Hull Live, who state that the frontman had been on the Tigers' radar for a number of weeks following the appointment of Walter in East Yorkshire.

That's after Moore had been an integral part of Ipswich Town's eventual promotion to the Premier League during the second half of last season, and prior to his return to Portman Road, wasn't short of interest from potential Championship suitors.

The target man reminded the second tier of the sort of impact he can make with seven goals in 18 league appearances, proving that he's still a highly productive centre-forward in the right system at this level. Thus, according to a report from Darren Witcoop, there has been plenty of interest in the 43-cap Wales international once more from second tier outfits, including both Sheffield United and one of Moore's former clubs, Cardiff City.

However, he then looked set for a switch to Hull. As first reported by BBC Radio Humberside's Mike White, City were in talks with the South Coast outfit in terms of striking an agreement which would see the experienced striker make a permanent switch to East Yorkshire, ending his two-and-a-half year association with the Cherries.

The latest regarding Kieffer Moore

It was then reported that Sheffield United were trying to agree a deal for the 31-year-old, as they attempted to beat Hull to his signature this summer. That was revealed by The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who claimed that a move for the Wales international could still be completed despite the Blades’ impending takeover.

The Blades have been up for sale for some time now, with current owner Prince Abdullah prepared to pass the South Yorkshire side onto new owners, with an American consortium said to be keen on purchasing the Bramall Lane outfit.

The latest regarding Moore comes from Hull Live, who are now reporting that he has chosen the Sheffield-based outfit over Hull City for personal reasons, due to his family being based in Sheffield and his wife due to give birth imminently. Alex Crook is reporting that the deal will cost Sheffield United in the region of £2 million.

The Welshman was on his way to Hull when he had a change of heart to move to Sheffield United instead. FLW also understands that Wilder personally called Moore whilst on his way to Hull to hijack the move and convince him of the move to the Blades instead.

Sheffield United set to win the race for Kieffer Moore

One obvious area that the club needed to address this summer is their goal output in attack, and one way to improve that would be signing a centre-forward that can guarantee goals at this level. This is especially pertinent following Oli McBurnie's exit from the club upon the expiry of his contract.

Rhian Brewster is currently the club's most senior striking option at the age of just 24, and he has scored 15 times in 52 games at Championship level in his career to date. It highlights the need for more depth and quality in Wilder's attack if they are to challenge for promotion at the first time of asking.

Someone like Moore is far more affordable to Sheffield United this summer. The Welshman signed for Bournemouth in January 2022 from the Bluebirds, in a deal worth a reported £5 million; however, with just 12 months remaining on his contract with Bournemouth, the top-flight side are looking to cash in on him now rather than lose him for nothing next year and £2 million is a bargain.

If the Blades complete a deal for Moore, they'd be signing a player who has scored 54 goals in the second tier in 173 appearances and one that is guaranteed to score goals in almost any team or system, but especially if he has runners off him, or a strike partner beside him in Wilder's five-at-the-back system.

The likes of McBurnie, Ollie Norwood, John Egan, George Baldock, and Chris Basham have been the core of the side for a number of years; but all of them have since departed, and new leaders with big personalities are now required in Wilder's dressing room, too.

It's therefore no surprise that Sheffield United's boss wants to add proven Championship players to his Blades squad during the summer transfer window and Moore ticks all the right boxes, whilst also seeing a potential promotion rival in Hull suffer a blow in the process.