Sheffield United on verge of signing 23-year-old in bargain deal | OneFootball

Sam McCallum has been a reported target for Blades since his release by the Canaries.

Sheffield United are closing in on a deal to sign free agent left-back Sam McCallum after his release from Norwich City.

That is according to an update from Alan Nixon via Patreon, who was the first to break the interest of Chris Wilder's side in late June as they rivalled Stoke City for his services.

The 23-year-old has been a reported target for the Blades since his departure from the Canaries was announced last month.

United boss Wilder is looking to complete some shrewd business in the transfer market this summer, as he continues to have his hands tied in regard to spending transfer fees on players until the proposed takeover of the club is finalised.

He has been able to secure the signing of Jamie Shackleton on a free transfer from Leeds United, and now the Blades manager looks set to make a further addition to his ranks from the free agent market.

Sam McCallum set for Sheffield United move

Reporting via his Patreon, journalist Alan Nixon has today revealed that United are advancing with their efforts to sign the former Norwich City man.

Nixon reports that the former QPR and Coventry City full-back has met with the Blades over the last week, and the two parties have now ironed out the intricacies of the deal, and a medical has now been scheduled.

It hasn't been a one-horse race in the McCallum sweepstakes, however, as fellow Championship side Stoke City have persisted with their interest in the young defender, but it now appears that United have beaten the Potters to his signature, with Steven Schumacher's side instead signing Eric Bocat.

Beginning his professional career at Coventry City, McCallum established himself as one of the EFL's brightest young talents in the 2019/20 season, in which he made 35 appearances in all competitions for the Sky Blues in a season that saw the club win promotion to the Championship.

He would earn a move to Norwich in January 2020, as the then Premier League side reportedly forked out £3.5 million to sign the exciting young left-back.

Loans back to Coventry and then later QPR were to follow, and prompted the Canaries to hand him his first real chance at a first team role at Carrow Road in 2022.

Since then, he hasn't quite been able to hold down a starting role in the squad, making 23 and 29 Championship appearances across the previous two seasons.

McCallum evidently hadn't quite done enough to see his time at the club extended, and as such, he would hit the free agent market this summer.

Sam McCallum could be very shrewd signing by Sheffield United

For those clubs willing to venture into its often muddy and crowded waters, the free agent market can be a highly rewarding place to do business for those sides looking for a bargain.

In the case of Sheffield United, they have little choice but to scour this scrapheap in the search of a renovation project that's worth their time, but in McCallum, they might just have stumbled across a gem.

With an average match rating of 7.1/10 in the Championship last season, - per FotMob - the left-back isn't the sort of free agent signing that comes without any proven pedigree at the level of which he'll be playing at.

He's shown himself to be a young player who can play well at second tier level, and with some further refinement on the training ground, he could blossom into one of the finest full-backs in the division.

That experience could prove vital too, as McCallum could be set for an immediate starting role at Bramall Lane next season.

Welshman Rhys Norrington-Davies was limited to just seven appearances in all competitions last season through injury, and currently stands as Wilder's only natural left-sided full-back.

The aforementioned Shackleton can fill in as a makeshift left-back, but is a right-back by trade and that is where he can expect to play his part for the Blades going forward.

Therefore, signing such a promising, yet experienced player in McCallum for nothing looks to have all the makings of being a highly shrewd piece of business from Sheffield United, and could leave plenty of other Championship sides wondering why they didn't pursue a deal for him this summer.