Watford and Derby County are both said to be interested in Sheffield United midfielder Ben Osborn.
Osborn joined the Blades from Nottingham Forest in July 2019, and he has been a key player for the club over the previous five years, but his contract at Bramall Lane expires this summer, leaving his future uncertain.
The 29-year-old, who was a regular for United this season when they were relegated from the Premier League, was initially listed as available on a free transfer on the club’s retained list, but talks with the club are ongoing about a potential new contract.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, the Blades were ready to grant Osborn a one-year contract extension before the decision was reversed, although the club “may yet try to bring him back once they have new owners and more funds”.
While United waits for their takeover to be completed, Osborn might be sold to another club, with Nixon stating that Watford and Derby County also want the midfielder.
Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer stated that Derby County would be a better fit for Osborn than Watford, but he feels the Hornets’ ability to offer more salaries will give them the advantage.
“It looks like Chris Wilder is set to lose out on Ben Osborn, unless a takeover can happen pretty quickly,” Palmer stated.
“It is understood that Wilder is eager to grant the left-footed midfielder a one-year contract extension, but his options are limited until the takeover is approved.
“As a result, Watford and Derby County have expressed an interest in signing him.
“You’re looking at what will happen at Derby under Paul Warne. They got promoted by playing a really good brand of football, and Tom Cleverley, a young, up-and-coming manager, is looking to rebuild at Watford.
You would expect Derby’s budget to be far less than Tom Cleverley’s.
“It’s not where you think will be the best fit, but I believe Watford will have more coffers than Derby; that’s as basic as it gets.
“I genuinely think it would be a smart move for him to go to Derby because the club and the players are more stable, whereas at Watford, you don’t know who will be manager from one month to the next.
“My choice for Ben Osborn is Derby, but unfortunately, I think the purse strings of Watford might just push this deal through for them.”
Osborn faces a difficult decision: wait for the Blades’ takeover to be completed or accept a deal with a new club.
Osborn’s preference would undoubtedly be to stay at Bramall Lane, and given his consistency in the second half of the season, Wilder will be eager to keep him, but as United supporters are well aware, takeovers can be time-consuming, and Osborn will want to have his future settled as soon as possible.
Palmer is correct that Derby would be a better fit for Osborn, and while his link to local rivals Forest may complicate matters, the midfielder was born in Derby, so he may be enticed to make the move to Pride Park.
Watford would also be a good choice for Osborn, but as Palmer points out, Derby is a lot more stable environment, and he would certainly get more game time with the freshly promoted Rams.
