⚔️ The Shoreham Journal - Clue spotted from Tyler Bindon's transfer
Sheffield United's summer transfer window has burst into life... 🗞️
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 Tyler Bindon’s arrival and Vini Souza’s departure from Bramall Lane.
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Done deal ✅
Sheffield United have made their first major signing of the summer transfer window by bringing in Tyler Bindon from Nottingham Forest.
The centre-back, who played under Ruben Selles at Reading, has agreed to a season-long loan deal with the Blades. The 20-year-old already has 84 league appearances under his belt but is yet to play above League One level.
Bindon started his professional career with Reading before joining Forest on a permanent deal in January; he was immediately loaned back to the Royals for the rest of the 2024-25 season. The youngster has already made 16 senior appearances for New Zealand and is Reading’s reigning Player of the Season.
Bindon is highly thought of by Reading fans, as made clear in Roy’s View From column. Selles will also know exactly what the player is capable of; we’re now just waiting to see if he can make the step up to Championship level.
“I'm very grateful to be here, and it is amazing I get this opportunity,” said Bindon. “Ruben is a great person and coach, and I feel I can still learn so much more from him. It will be special to do that here at United.”
United managed to keep this transfer largely under wraps. While the club’s interest in Bindon was reported in a previous edition of The Shoreham Journal, there wasn’t an awful lot of speculation in the back pages and online. Don’t be surprised if transfers are announced out of the blue this summer.
Oh no, Vini 😳
Vini Souza has completed his transfer to Wolfsburg… but it wasn’t the smoothest of exits.
It’s believed the German side has paid around £13 million for the 26-year-old, ensuring a slight profit for United. He’s the first big-name player to leave United this summer, and there are concerns that Gus Hamer, Sydie Peck, and Michael Cooper will follow suit. But they are just concerns right now.
Souza joined the Blades from Belgian team Lommel two years ago. Although he struggled to make an impact in the Premier League during the 2023-24 campaign, like most of United’s squad, he was one of the club’s best players last season and will be fondly remembered at Bramall Lane.
Souza always seemed like a one-of-a-kind character, so it was perhaps fitting that he made a slightly chaotic exit. In a post on X, the midfielder penned an emotional statement to everyone connected with the Blades.
He wrote: “The time has come to say goodbye to this incredible club. Thank you to all the players, staff and the wonderful fans who have always been with us. I would like to express my gratitude and will always carry you in my heart. Thank you, Blades.”
Yet the statement took a sour turn when he signed off with: “I love you, SWFC.”
The clumsy mistake suggested that Souza did not upload the post to X, or even write it at all. And Sheffield Wednesday fans certainly took great pleasure in it, enjoying a brief break from their three transfer embargos.
But it was just a harmless mistake, and Souza quickly rectified it by deleting his love note to Wednesday and uploading a picture of United’s Steel City derby win at Bramall Lane last season. Souza added on X: “Don’t forget, Sheffield has always been and always will be red.”
Too right, Vini.
In other news… 🗞️
✅ Kyle Walker, who has long been tipped to make a return to United, has joined Burnley from Manchester City. The 35-year-old has signed a two-year contract after a transfer fee worth up to £5 million was agreed.
The Shoreham Journal says… It’s easy to see why Walker has joined Burnley rather than return to United, his boyhood club: the World Cup. He’s still a part of the England squad and needs to be playing Premier League football if he’s going to make Thomas Tuchel’s squad for next summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. If Walker is ever going to re-join United, the transfer will happen after next summer’s World Cup.
🤯 Chris Wilder has emerged as a shock candidate to be the next Leicester manager, just days after leaving United. That’s according to The Sun, who claim Wilder and Sean Dyche are being considered to replace the sacked Ruud van Nistelrooy. Wednesday boss Danny Rohl, who seems certain to leave the troubled Owls is another candidate on Leicester’s shortlist.
👀 Everton remain interested in signing Cooper this summer, according to Alan Nixon. Yet the transfer is unlikely to happen right now, as the Toffees are only willing to spend £5 million plus add-ons for the goalkeeper. It’s also believed that Cooper has little interest in being Jordan Pickford’s understudy.
The Shoreham Journal says… There’s no way United will accept £5 million for Cooper, one of the best goalkeepers to have graced Bramall Lane this century. If Cooper does leave for a relatively low fee, alarm bells will ring.
👎 Former United midfielder Lee Hendrie believes Hamer will leave United this summer, expecting “bottom-end Premier League sides” to swoop for the 28-year-old. Hendrie made his feelings known to Football League World.
“He’s shown consistency, and he’s been one of the key players for some time at Sheffield United,” said Hendrie. “Playing in the Premier League is the ultimate for most players, and with Sheffield United not getting promoted, you now have to look at the standouts such as Hamer, who would continue to be a standout in the Championship if he stays.”
🇭🇺 United are keen on signing Mark Kosznovszky, according to The Star, but face competition from Championship rivals Portsmouth and Swansea. The 23-year-old midfielder, who has represented Hungary at youth level, is making a name for himself in his homeland while playing for MTK Budapest. It’s claimed his current employers want a seven-figure transfer fee.
👋 Former United striker Lys Mousset has been released by Irish club Bohemians. The 29-year-old, who played for the Blades in the Premier League, scored just once during his six-month spell with Bohemians and spent 13 months out of the game before his move to the Republic of Ireland.
✍️ Have you got questions, opinions or feedback to give? Write to me using this form 👨💻
✅ United Women have signed Amy Andrews ahead of the new Women’s Super League 2 season. The former Newcastle striker, 25, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Blades, with the option of a further 12 months.
⚽️ United were initially relegated from the second tier of women’s football last season but remained in the league after Blackburn withdrew for financial reasons. The Blades will now look to make the most of their reprieve.
🎟️ United have been allocated 1,680 tickets for the pre-season trip to Burton on Tuesday, July 22. Only 380 of those tickets are seated, costing £15 for adults, with the rest being on the terrace and priced at £11. See United’s website for more details.
The next Shoreham Journal will be published on Friday, July 18, in 10 days’ time. Apologies for the short break, but I’m off on holiday!
UTB! ⚔️