Sheffield United monitoring striker who's already passed through Barcelona and Real Madrid | OneFootball

Sheffield United are understood to be monitoring Daniel Gudjohnsen, who was a youth player for both Barcelona and Real Madrid and is now in Sweden.

Sheffield United are understood to be keeping an eye on the exciting young Icelandic striker Daniel Gudjohnsen, who currently plays in Sweden for Malmö FF.

It's been a big summer for Sheffield United, as they seek to bounce back from the disappointment of missing out on a quick return to the Premier League after losing the 2024-25 Championship play-off final to Sunderland.

The club have already made a managerial change since the end of last season, replacing Chris Wilder with former Hull City boss Ruben Selles, and the club have attracted attention for using Artificial Intelligence to drive their summer transfer activity.

The Blades have already lost a lot of experience this summer, with players who had been on loan with them returning to their parent clubs including Hamza Choudhury, Rob Holding, Harry Souttar, Ben Brereton-Diaz and Alfie Gilchrist respectively.

With Ehije Ukaki, who has been signed from the Bulgarian club Botev Plovdid, and Tyler Bindon, who's arrived on loan from Nottingham Forest, their only confirmed signings, there's still a lot of work to do to get the Blades fully strengthened for a second crack at a return to the Premier League.

Blades send scouts to monitor Daniel Gudjohnsen in Sweden

The Sun's Alan Nixon reports on Sunday that Sheffield United have sent their top scout to watch Daniel Gudjohnsen, the 19-year-old son of the former Chelsea favourite Eidur, in action for his club Malmö FF in the event that they are bankrolled and thus can afford to make a move for him.

Gudjohnsen started up front for the Swedish club in their UEFA Champions League First Qualifying Round Second Leg match against Iberia 1999.

They won the match 3-1 to progress to the next round following a goalless draw in the first leg, but Gudjohnsen was unable to get on the scoresheet and was withdrawn twenty minutes into the second half.

The teenage striker is believed to have a move to England as one of his preferred destinations, if he is to leave Sweden this summer.

Gudjohnsen has impressed both Barcelona and Real Madrid in the past

After starting his youth career in the lower levels in Spain, Gudjohnsen impressed some people in high places.

He spent four years in Real Madrid's youth system before signing for the Swedish club Malmö in 2022 at the age of 16, and he has also spent time in Barcelona's fabled academy system too.

In 2023, he was listed as one of the Guardian's Next Generation 2023, their assessment of the 60 most talented players in the world born in 2006, saying: "Could Daniel become the most successful of Eidur Gudjohnsen’s three sons? Pundits in Iceland most certainly believe so."

He's only made 13 league appearances for Malmö since joining the club, but has now played in both the Europa League and the Champions League for them, so he's building a lot of experience.

He's also represented Iceland at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-19 levels.

Evidently then, Gudjohnsen is clearly very highly thought of.

You don't get to pass through the academies of both Barcelona and Real Madrid unless you've got a considerable amount of potential, and Sheffield United could really steal a march on bigger rivals by acting quickly to secure his services ahead of the new season.