Following a Leeds United player’s rejection of an Elland Road contract offer, Sheffield United is nearing completion on their first summer transfer.
Jamie Shackleton, a utility player for Leeds United, will be joining Sheffield United this summer, marking the official start of the team’s recruitment campaign. The 24-year-old is about to make his Blade debut after declining a new contract offer from his boyhood club this summer.
Both manager Chris Wilder and the Blades supporters, who have been getting more and more agitated over their team’s lack of transfer activity since the summer market started last month, will be greatly relieved by his presence. From the relegation campaign of the previous season, the Blades have already lost 13 players; when Cameron Archer returns to Aston Villa, that number will rise to 14 confirmed – and had not yet made a start in replacing them.
Shackleton will provide useful insurance for United in a number of positions, including midfield and right and left wing-back. He had a physical at Bramall Lane in the middle of this week. In addition, Sam McCallum, a former Norwich City wing-back who is also a free agent this summer, has drawn the interest of manager Wilder. Shackleton, who is older than 24, will not require United to pay any compensation.
With little over five weeks until United’s Championship opener against Preston North End, time is of the importance. The protracted takeover situation at Bramall Lane has hindered United’s transfer business. Pre-season training began earlier this week, and most of the players who returned were U21s with little first-team experience. Notable players who left on free transfers this summer were John Egan, Ollie Norwood, and George Baldock.
