Steven Gerrard and Charlie Nicholas among fans of reported Sheffield United target Josh Doig

Sheffield United's reported transfer target Josh Doig counts Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard and former Scotland and Celtic favourite Charlie Nicholas among his many admirers. The Edinburgh News has reported that the Blades are interested in recruiting the 20-year-old Hibernian left back - and he is not short on the number of leading personalities in the game who are willing to supply a complimentary reference.

Doig, who has previously been linked with almost every big club north and south of the border as well as Serie A outfit Sassuolo, was identified by Gerrard as a player with "huge potential" when his then Rangers team edged a narrow 2-1 home win against Hibs in April 2021. Commenting on the battle between Doig and then Rangers right-back Nathan Patterson, before the latter's £12million January move to Everton, former Champions League winner Gerrard told the Daily Record: "I was fascinated with the battle down that side, I thought Nathan was really good.

"Doig is a good player, again, huge potential. Both lads put in a strong shift.

"I think Nathan just edged it, I must say. He’ll be pleased out of the two but Hibs have a real good player on their hands.

"It was fascinating. A really good battle and I enjoyed it.

"Two honest kids with huge potential. The future is looking bright for Scotland in terms of full-backs – because those two have two big chances of going all the way."

Nicholas, meanwhile, has repeatedly urged his former club Celtic to buy Doig, comparing him to Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney in his column for the Scottish Daily Express in November when he felt the Hibs defender should have been the Glasgow giants' number-one target in the January transfer window. "Celtic need three signings in the January