"One-season wonder" - Sheffield United enter transfer race for Championship talisman | OneFootball

Recently relegated Sheffield United have joined the race for Blackburn Rovers star Sammie Szmodics, as reported by The Sun.

Sheffield United join the race for Sammie Szmodics

While Blackburn Rovers have struggled in this 2023/24 Championship season, Sammie Szmodics has excelled.

The forward has produced his best season to date, and if it weren’t for Szmodics’ impressive goal tally, the Lancashire side could be in a much worse situation than they currently are.

Heading into the last game of the season, Blackburn have still got some work to do to get over the line, so they will be hoping Szmodics can rise to the occasion once again in what could be his last game for the club.

Both Luton Town and Brentford have been credited with an interest in the 25-goal forward, and according to this recent report, the duo remain interested in Szmodics.

Fellow Premier League side Fulham have also been mentioned as having an interest in the 28-year-old, along with Scottish Premiership side Celtic, but the Glasgow outfit could find it hard to pursue a deal given their finances compared to the other teams.

However, these sides now face fresh competition, as Sheffield United have reportedly joined the race, with The Sun reporting that Blackburn are looking for between £15-£20 million for Szmodics, and the Blades are admirers of the player despite their relegation to the Championship.

So, as the news emerges that Sheffield United have joined the list of teams interested in Sammie Szmodics, here at Football League World, we have asked some of the writers for their thoughts on the matter and if Szmodics should hold out for Premier League interest.

Here is what they said…

Brett Worthington

Sammie Szmodics has turned out to be an excellent Championship player; it has taken him a bit to prove it, but this season shows he is operating at a very high level.

For the 28-year-old to score 25 Championship goals in a Blackburn Rovers side that has struggled at the bottom end of the table is a remarkable achievement, so it is no surprise to see teams circling with interest.

Teams that are going to be in the Championship next season, whether that be sides already in it now or teams that have been relegated, they are all going to be looking at Szmodics as someone they would love to make part of their side, as he’s proven to be a natural finisher at this level.

It looks likely that Szmodics will leave Ewood Park at the end of this season, but he shouldn’t rush into a decision and just decide to join a fellow Championship team like Sheffield United.

Yes, joining the Blades would likely see him being part of a side that would be competing at the top end of the Championship, but it is not every day that you are linked with teams from the Premier League.

Therefore, Szmodics needs to be patient, bide his time this summer, and look to join a team that is in the Premier League. Yes, he’s never played at that level before, but if he joins the right side, he could easily continue his fine form again in a division above.

This may be the player's last chance to grab an opportunity like this, and given how well he has done, he can probably get a better move than joining Sheffield United.

Ben Wignall

No-one would have foreseen Szmodics having the season he's had with the numbers he's put up, and considering he will turn 29 in September, this will be the best time for him to pursue a Premier League move.

There is always the risk with a player like Szmodics though that it could just be a one-season wonder kind of thing happening currently, and he is quite a niche player in the sense that he is best in the number 10 role or playing just off a central striker, with quite a few Premier League teams who would be in the running for him not utilising that role.

It's easy to see why Sheffield United are looking though - Chris Wilder's favoured 3-5-2 formation would hypothetically see Szmodics playing off a bigger number nine, but with Oli McBurnie out of contract, Ben Brereton Diaz heading back to Villarreal and Cameron Archer returning to Aston Villa as part of the deal struck last summer, there are significant gaps to fill for the Blades at the top end of the pitch.

It is just very hard to see United spending at least £15 million on a player whilst a second tier club though - they're unlikely to make that much money this summer on saleable assets, so where are they going to finance a deal for Szmodics from?

If Szmodics did make the move to Bramall Lane for a big fee this summer, then he's got a better chance of being a Premier League player for the very first time in 2025, but he may as well hold out for a Premier League transfer outright should the interest come.