Sheffield United plotting move for £10m-rated Chelsea player | OneFootball

The Blades have been active in the transfer market of late to give Ruben Selles the players he needs.

Chelsea midfielder Alex Matos has emerged as a transfer target for Sheffield United in the late stages of the window.

This past week has been by far the Blades' busiest period of the summer transfer window. Last Friday saw the arrival of much-needed defensive reinforcements as the signings of Ben Godfrey and Nils Zatterstrom were confirmed.

Then this week extra help arrived up top as the experienced head of Danny Ings joined Ruben Selles' ranks, plus another strong option at the back in Japhet Tanganga.

Now attention has turned to the middle of the cavalry to see if they can add some more sturdiness there before the window shuts on Monday, September 1st.

A number of injuries and the sale of Vinicius Souza has left the Blades a bit weak in the middle of the park. Selles' midfield so far this season have generally consisted of Sydie Peck, Gus Hamer and Callum O'Hare, aside from the 1-0 defeat to Swansea City in which Djibril Soumare replaced the latter and earned his first start for the club.

Sheffield United eyeing deal for Chelsea's Alex Matos

Before their summer business is over, United want to bring in a Premier League talent in Matos to beef up Selles' central options, according to The Star. The 20-year-old, whose parent club, Chelsea, reportedly value at £10 million, as per The Athletic, is prepared to leave his top-flight home permanently this summer.

He has had previous loan spells in the EFL with Huddersfield Town and, more recently, Oxford United. He helped the U's beat Chris Wilder's Blades 1-0 at the Kassam Stadium back in April.

The Star added that the new data-driven transfer model that the Yorkshire club have implemented since their new owners took over at the end of 2024 helped to identify Matos as a transfer target.

The midfielder has less than a year left on his current deal with Chelsea, which could help the Blades to secure a slightly cheaper deal than the £10 million that his Premier League owners would reportedly want.

Permanent terms shouldn't put Sheffield United off Alex Matos deal

Matos has strong positional flexibility. As well as being able to sit a bit deeper in the pitch, he has shown in his loan spells the ability to play higher up too. With O'Hare, Hamer and others already in the dressing room, attacking midfielders aren't exactly what the Blades are targeting with Matos, but it certainly doesn't do any harm to have someone with his malleability.

His previous loans wouldn't suggest that he's a player who will come into the starting XI of a club that want to be up at the top end of the Championship, although they'll have to get some points on the board first before that can become a reality again.

To add squad depth, anything close to £10 million would be excessive for the 20-year-old. The potential is there, though, so United should by no means rule out a permanent move for Matos, if that is all that Chelsea will negotiate over.