How much money Sheffield United want for Michael Cooper amid West Ham transfer interest - It's more than £10m | OneFootball

The Blades could still lose their key man to the Premier League

Sheffield United have placed an eight-figure valuation on the head of Michael Cooper as West Ham United plot a move for the Blades goalkeeper.

That is according to a fresh report from Alan Nixon via Patreon, as both Ruben Selles and Graham Potter are preparing for their first full seasons in charge of the South Yorkshire and East London outfits respectively.

Cooper has been one of the EFL's most impressive shot-stoppers for some time, having previously shone for Plymouth Argyle in League One and, briefly, in the Championship, which earned him a move to the Blades for an initial £2m last summer.

United could have been facing off against the likes of West Ham this season, but after seeing Sunderland mount a dramatic turnaround in the play-off final, saw Selles replace Chris Wilder at the helm, which has left the club at risk of losing several key players - Cooper, undoubtedly, being one of those.

Sheffield United value Michael Cooper at £15m as West Ham lurk following Everton interest

Cooper was one of the standout performers between the sticks last season, although arguably edged out by James Trafford, who was part of Burnley's record-breaking defence en route to promotion.

However, the 25-year-old still racked up an impressive total of 21 clean sheets in 43 regular-season appearances, before adding two further shutouts in the 6-0 aggregate victory over Bristol City in the play-off semi-finals. His record at Championship level overall is particularly impressive too, conceding just 57 times and keeping 27 clean sheets in just 62 appearances whilst featuring for Plymouth and the Blades.

It was reported by Nixon in June that Everton, ahead of their first season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, were prepared to spend just £5m+ add-ons on the Exeter-born man, with United, unsurprisingly, wanting a much greater sum whilst Cooper was reportedly showing no desire to leave the Steel City if regular minutes weren't guaranteed.

Nixon has now reported that West Ham, who saw the long-serving and experienced Lukasz Fabianski depart the London Stadium at the end of his contract, are making "final checks" on Cooper, who has emerged as a prime target, whilst the South Yorkshire side have placed a £15m valuation on his services, with the 'keeper still having three years left to run on his deal in S2.

The report states that Cooper wasn't keen on a move to Merseyside, but he could be tempted to move to the capital, with Potter also eyeing up the likes of Mads Hermansen from Leicester City, with the Foxes demanding £30m for the Dane's signature.

Sheffield United would hope to eke every penny out of West Ham for Michael Cooper

It is no surprise that such a hefty fee has been placed on Cooper's services, as the aforementioned sum which Everton were prepared to part with would, to many Blades supporters and the hierarchy, feel insulting, based on the consistent performance levels and Premier League potential which he has shown for a sustained timeframe.

It would come as a major blow for Selles to lose such an important figure, although the Spaniard recently claimed that "he's definitely staying," after he was omitted from the squad for a 2-1 victory against Burton Albion in pre-season.

Whilst a move to the London Stadium for the fee mooted would represent a significant profit for United, it remains to be seen who would be viewed as Cooper's long-term replacement, as Ivo Grbic was offered a clean slate by Selles after a difficult spell at Bramall Lane during the relegation season of 2023/24, whilst also spending last season on loan with Caykur Rizespor of the Turkish Super Lig.