Football League World
·20 August 2024
Wolves face Brentford battle in race to sign Sheffield United star
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·20 August 2024
Brentford are keeping tabs on the situation surrounding Anel Ahmedhodzic
Brentford are the latest club to show an interest in signing Anel Ahmedhodzic from Sheffield United, alongside Wolves.
According to The Athletic, the Bees are admirers of the Bosnian defender ahead of the end of the transfer window.
The market will close next week on 30 August, meaning time is running out for clubs to finalise any remaining deals.
Ahmedhodzic has been a key figure for Sheffield United since signing for the Yorkshire outfit in the summer of 2022.
The centre-back was crucial to their promotion to the Premier League in 2023, and made 31 appearances in the top flight last year (all stats from Fbref).
Brentford are targeting a new centre-back signing before the transfer window closes, and have a number of potential options on their shortlist.
The Sheffield United defender is among the names being linked with a move to the London club.
However, they will face competition from Wolves if they make a concrete pursuit of Ahmedhodzic.
Football Insider reported earlier this week that the Premier League side are weighing up a move for the 25-year-old.
The likes of Sepp van den Berg and Burnley’s Dara O’Shea are also on the shortlist of potential transfer options for Thomas Frank’s side.
Brentford are aiming to improve on their 16th place finish in the Premier League last season, and the addition of a new defender is seen as important to that.
Frank’s side are in their fourth year in the top flight, and would be an appealing next destination for any potential signing.
Ahmedhodzic is back competing in the Championship after Sheffield United suffered relegation last season.
The Bosnia international has a contract with the Blades until the summer of 2026, so there is no immediate pressure to cash in this summer.
But it remains to be seen whether Brentford will convert their interest into a concrete offer for the player before the 30 August deadline.
According to Sheffield United Way, Ahemdhodzic signed for the Championship side for £4 million when he joined from Malmo in 2022.
It’s likely that the Blades will want more than double that figure to cash in on him before the end of the window.
He immediately cemented himself as a key part of the team under Paul Heckingbottom, and has continued to feature regularly under Chris Wilder.
Ahmedhodzic featured in both of the team’s opening league games this season, and is likely to be a consistent presence in the team if he stays beyond next Friday’s deadline.
Ahmedhodzic has been a very important player for Sheffield United over the last two seasons, and could be key to a promotion push this year as well.
Selling him would be a real blow to the club, particularly this late in the window when it will be difficult to find a replacement.
It will need to take a fee close to £15 or 20 million, and it’s unclear whether Brentford would be willing to pay that at this stage.