⚔️ The Shoreham Journal - Sydie Peck unsurprisingly picks up an admirer
It was only a matter of time before someone started sniffing round... 🗞️
Hello and welcome to The Shoreham Journal, a free newsletter all about Sheffield United Football Club. In today’s edition, we take a look at whether Sydie Peck or Michael Cooper could leave Bramall Lane this summer.
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Peck leads transfer round-up 🗞️
😳 West Ham are interested in signing Sydie Peck, claims The Guardian. The central midfielder benefited from Ollie Arblaster’s serious knee injury to play a key role in Sheffield United’s 2024-25 campaign, winning the David Spencer Young Player of the Year award. It’s claimed West Ham boss Graham Potter wants to revamp his ageing squad and is looking at Peck, Sunderland’s Chris Rigg and Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney as potential midfield options.
The Shoreham Journal says… As tough as this is to write, selling Peck might not be the worst idea. The 20-year-old’s stock is high, and a £20 million bid could tempt United. The Blades have a habit of selling young players and using that money to improve the squad, notably David Brooks and Will Osula. We shouldn’t be surprised if Peck becomes the latest player to join that group, especially if Arblaster is fit and raring to go come August.
👀 United and Swansea will battle for Ethan Galbraith’s signature this summer, according to Football Insider. Leyton Orient are expecting to receive offers for the 24-year-old midfielder after losing the League One play-off final to Charlton, but it’s unclear how much the Londoners want for him.
⚽️ Galbraith enjoyed an excellent 2024-25 campaign, scoring six goals and providing eight assists across all competitions. The versatile star is also capable of playing at right-back, making him a possible successor for Hamza Choudhury, if United decide against re-signing the Leicester midfielder.
🔜 United are close to making their first summer signing, claims EFL Analysis. It’s believed a deal for Jimmy Dunne, who United tried to sign in January, isn’t too far away, with the QPR defender out of contract. The 27-year-old is QPR’s reigning Player of the Year and recently completed a fourth Championship season with the London club, helping them finish 15th.
🗣️ Back in February, Chris Wilder described United’s January offer for Dunne as a “reasonably good bid” for a player in the last six months of his contract. United responded to QPR’s snub by signing Rob Holding on loan, but he’s now gone back to Crystal Palace, potentially paving the way for Dunne.
Wilder said in February: “We obviously like the player (Dunne) because if we didn't, we wouldn't have put a bid in. But QPR have every right to turn that down, and they turned it down.”
The Shoreham Journal says… Signing Dunne would be a smart decision. His CV is certainly impressive, and his wage demands shouldn’t be too high. With only Jack Robinson and Anel Ahmedhodžić on the books, United need to bring in centre-backs this summer. Wilder may as well start off with Dunne.
🏴 Blades legend Carl Asaba has spoken very highly of Oli McBurnie, with the 29-year-old striker potentially returning to England. McBurnie left United for Las Palmas a year ago, but he’s allowed to leave the Spanish team on a free transfer this summer due to a clause in his contract.
🔴 As reported in the previous edition of The Shoreham Journal, United showed McBurnie plenty of love on social media to celebrate his 29th birthday earlier this month… a bit too much love for an ex-player! Their social media activity suggests he could be returning to Bramall Lane.
😬 But according to HullLive, United’s Yorkshire rivals Hull are still in the race to sign McBurnie. There could be some twists in this transfer saga.
“He (McBurnie) is a top player,” Asaba told the BBC. “I have all sorts of respect for him. The last two seasons watching him as a link-up striker, the work rate and his actual ability on the ball. He's top rate. Everybody speaks highly of him in the dressing room. He's a great character.”
😳 Everton are interested in signing Michael Cooper, according to transfer guru Alan Nixon. The 25-year-old goalkeeper has become a key member of Wilder’s squad since arriving from Plymouth a year ago, winning the Player of the Season vote ahead of the likes of Gus Hamer and Tyrese Campbell.
🔵 It’s claimed Everton boss David Moyes is an admirer of Cooper, but Jordan Pickford will remain his first-choice goalkeeper unless something dramatic happens on Merseyside. Moyes is on the hunt for a new back-up stopper, with Joao Virginia and Asmir Begovic both out of contract.
The Shoreham Journal says… Surely, Cooper is going nowhere this summer. Top-class goalkeepers are hard to come by (no one needs reminding of Steve Simonsen or Robin Olsen), and United must do everything they can to keep hold of Cooper if they’re serious about promotion. No need to worry here.
👎 Speaking of Everton, the Blades are set to miss out on a cash windfall, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin edging closer to the exit. As noted by The Star, United would’ve received a hefty sell-on fee had the Toffees sold the 28-year-old striker at the peak of his career a few years ago, with talk of him going for around £40 million at one point. Calvert-Lewin is in talks over a new contract on Merseyside, but there’s a chance he’ll leave on a free transfer.
🙏 The Star is also reporting that Ivo Grbic, Cooper’s unsuccessful predecessor, is wanted by Spanish club Celta Vigo. It’s hoped the 29-year-old goalkeeper will leave Bramall Lane this summer, having struggled in the Premier League and spent last season on loan with Turkish side Rizespor.
Robot’s £40M claim 🤖
Can AI successfully predict who United will sign this summer? No, is the sensible answer.
But the Yorkshire Post has asked AI the question, and the results are interesting. The robot believes United will swoop for Norwich pair Borja Sainz and Josh Sargent in a £36 million deal, with Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill and the aforementioned Dunne arriving on free transfers.
AI also thinks United will stump up £4 million to bring Bournemouth defender Chris Mepham to Bramall Lane after he helped Sunderland beat the Blades in the Championship play-off final during a loan spell.
Mepham is out of contract this summer, but Bournemouth have the option to extend his deal by a further 12 months. According to the Northern Echo, the Cherries are likely to activate that clause and receive a transfer fee.
Only time will tell if the robot is right. Let’s just hope that if United do spend £40 million this summer, it isn’t money recouped from selling Hamer!
Wilder’s early play-off agony 🔙
No one needs reminding of what happened at Wembley last month, but it wasn’t the first time Wilder had lost a play-off final.
Back in 2006, the young manager’s Halifax Town team reached the Conference play-off final, where they faced Hereford United for a place in the Football League. Despite twice taking the lead, Halifax ended up losing thanks to Guy Ipoua’s 80th-minute equaliser and Ryan Green’s 109th-minute winner.
Even more agony was just around the corner, as Halifax went into administration a year later before folding in 2008. They soon reformed as FC Halifax Town and currently play in the National League.
As for Wilder, he went on to win the Conference play-off final with Oxford in 2010 before achieving further promotions with Northampton and United, rising all the way up to the Premier League. He’s reflected on his time at Halifax in a new interview with the Halifax Courier, which you can read here.
“It (what happened at Halifax) makes you tougher, makes you streetwise, hardens you up,” said Wilder. “For me, from where I was as a manager then to where I am as a manager now, I've always kept my eyes and ears open, I've always listened and tried to learn and improve. Even through bad spells in seasons, (learning) how do you react to disappointment, how do you react to a disappointing season… I've learned from them and took that experience forward, and tried not to make the same mistakes.”
Let’s hope United respond much more positively to their play-off final defeat than Halifax did…
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Thanks to Paul for getting in touch over the weekend, our first reader to give feedback!
Paul said: “Really looking forward to your journal, during the close season living in Kent I feel detached from all things Blades so this is reyt up my street, thank you!”
UTB! ⚔️