Update emerges on Sheffield United’s transfer pursuit of Middlesbrough man | OneFootball

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Football League World

·18 January 2022

Update emerges on Sheffield United’s transfer pursuit of Middlesbrough man

Article image:Update emerges on Sheffield United’s transfer pursuit of Middlesbrough man

Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom has revealed that he’s only heard about Middlesbrough midfielder Marcus Browne in press conferences, pouring cold water on this potential move as he spoke to the Yorkshire Post.

The 24-year-old has been recovering from the ACL injury he sustained last January – and this may prove to be detrimental to his first-team chances on his return with ex-boss Neil Warnock and current manager Chris Wilder recruiting heavily at the Riverside since then.


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Riley McGree’s arrival from MLS side Charlotte this month may close the door on first-team minutes on Teesside for the time being – and even before the Australian’s arrival – the club were thought to have given the advanced midfielder the ‘green light’ to make a temporary exit this month.

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Article image:Update emerges on Sheffield United’s transfer pursuit of Middlesbrough man

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Last week, Football Insider reported that the Blades were monitoring the ex-West Ham man’s situation at Boro ahead of a potential move, a loan deal that could feasibly happen with Wilder’s men already loaning out Djed Spence to another Championship rival in Nottingham Forest.

Regardless of his injury, Browne has never really established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet at the Riverside during his two-and-a-half-year spell there and with this, a temporary transfer to Bramall Lane could provide him with a fresh start.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s current absence has left a void in an advanced midfield position – but Blades boss Heckingbottom has seemingly dismissed these links as he spoke to the Yorkshire Post regarding transfers.

He said: “I keep getting names chucked at me and I tend to only hear them in press conferences…”

The Verdict:

This did seem like quite a surprise move considering the two could be promotion rivals at the latter stages of the campaign, so it may not have been an advantage to Boro to let him go out on the Blades.

Nonetheless, they did come to an agreement with Forest to allow Spence to remain at the City Ground for the remainder of the campaign, so that may have provided the South Yorkshire outfit with hope that they could get this deal over the line if they wanted to.

But for Heckingbottom’s men, bringing the 24-year-old in may have been seen as a bit of a risk with his current club likely to demand that United pay a sizeable chunk of his current wages and his current injury record to bear in mind.

From the point of view of Browne, he may have a difficult time getting in the starting lineup ahead of the likes of Gibbs-White and David McGoldrick, so for all parties, it’s probably for the best that this deal doesn’t materialise.

The midfielder does need a temporary move away though – and he will probably be hoping to secure one before the end of the month as he looks to kickstart his career. Football League World understands old side Oxford United are back in the race for him, which could be a good move if he’s willing to take the step down.

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