Opinion: Sheffield United interest in 22-year-old defender looks to make perfect sense

With this season ending in such heartbreaking fashion for Sheffield United in the Championship play-offs, the Blades will inevitably be determined to go one better next time around in their pursuit of a return to the Premier League.

If they are to be successful with that, then a strong summer transfer window that allows them to strengthen their squad will be key to taking them to the next level, and it seems plans are well underway for the club to do that.

According to recent reports from The Daily Mail, Sheffield United are interested in signing Wolves defender Dion Sanderson during the summer transfer window.

Looking at the circumstances behind those links, it is hard not to feel as though such interest in the 22-year-old makes perfect sense for the Blades.

Following his brief spell at Bramall Lane in the final months of the 2021/22 season, Filip Uremovic has now moved on to pastures new, signing for Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin.

Jack O’Connell meanwhile, has not made a senior appearance since September 2020 due to injury, and it remains to be seen exactly how much longer he will be out for.

As a result, it certainly looks as though Sheffield United will need to add to their defensive ranks this summer, not least to ensure they have the required strength in depth in that area to continue to be able to use their three-at-the-back system.

In Sanderson, they would be getting a rather useful option to fill that role, with the 22-year-old’s past loan spells with Cardiff, Birmingham and QPR, showing that he is more than capable of holding his own in the Championship, where he now has a useful amount of experience.

Indeed, with much of that experience coming at clubs that employ a similar three-at-the-back set-up to