Sheffield United must not allow Ipswich Town raid: View | OneFootball

Sheffield United’s relegation to the Championship has now been officially confirmed.

It has been a struggle for the Blades in the Premier League this season, and with the South Yorkshire side picking up very few points, a return to the second tier was expected.

United still have a handful of games left to play in the top flight before focus can fully turn onto next season, but now that relegation has been confirmed, plans will slowly start being put in place.

As whenever a team is relegated, there is an expectation that there could be a turnover of players; some the club will want to move on, and others they will be desperate to keep hold of.

It is unclear where striker Daniel Jebbison fits, but he is someone who has already attracted transfer interest as the summer transfer window approaches.

Ipswich Town are interested in Daniel Jebbison

According to journalist Alan Nixon, Ipswich Town have set their sights on Daniel Jebbison and want to sign him, whether they achieve promotion to the Premier League or not.

This report adds that the Tractor Boys are confident they will finalise terms for the striker, but he wouldn’t be a free transfer, as he is at the age where compensation would need to be agreed.

Jebbison has been with Sheffield United for a number of years now, working his way up their academy groups to play for the first team.

The forward moved up to the first team in 2021, and this was when he signed a contract with the club. That contract is the only one the player has signed, and it is now set to expire at the end of this season.

That means Jebbison will leave the club at the end of June, and now Ipswich Town are said to be confident in signing the player.

Sheffield United should not allow Daniel Jebbison to leave for Ipswich Town

It is likely going to be a big summer for Sheffield United as they try and adjust to Championship life once again by putting together a squad that is capable of competing for promotion.

If Chris Wilder remains in charge, he is going to have his own ideas on players he thinks should be kept on and others he would be happy to let go of.

But the club faces a different fight with Jebbison, as the striker is coming to the end of his contract, and if United are keen on keeping hold of him, they need to convince him to extend his stay.

Now, Ipswich Town showing interest in the forward will not help matters, as Sheffield United would have hoped for a clear run at the player, and if teams hadn’t come forward with interest, it could have strengthened the club’s hand.

However, the Tractor Boys being confident they can get a deal agreed upon means it looks even harder for the Blades to secure a new contract for the young forward.

But even if that is the case, Sheffield United need to do all they can to secure Jebbison on new terms this summer, as he’s got all the makings to become a top talent, and a season in the Championship could really kickstart his career.

The 20-year-old has featured in the Championship before, as he played 16 times in the 2022/23 campaign.

During that season, Jebbison was sparingly used, as he started just five games, with him coming off the bench in the other 11.

The forward was averaging 31 minutes per game, during which he managed just one goal - this will obviously have been disappointing for many, but it was Jebbison’s breakthrough season with the Blades after spending the first half of 2021/22 on loan with Burton Albon in League One.

While he may not have got the number of goals he wanted, Jebbison did also show his creative side, as he created one big chance for his teammates, picked up 0.6 key passes per match, and that helped him grab two assists, as per Sofascore.com.

These stats will likely spur Jebbison on to want to prove to his doubters that he can do it in the Championship, so United should be keen to convince him to sign a new contract and trust him to lead their line going forward next season.

The Blades cannot let Ipswich sign the striker this summer, as it could be a deal that seriously comes back to haunt them in years to come. Whether it be Wilder or not, whoever is in the dugout next season, it should be a priority to keep Jebbison at the club, as he could become a key figure in another promotion push.