Sheffield United will be praying that Leeds United falter at the final hurdle once again Priority, with the Blades already breathing down their necks in an unpredictable division.
Indeed, Chris Wilder’s Blades are just one point off the top of League Two, which could mean an exciting promotion battle to see who soars to the Premier League.
To give his side the edge in this ongoing race, Wilder will be looking to shore up the transfer market with some top-quality additions, which could result in the former loanee calling Bramall Lane his home again.
Sheffield United are in the hunt for an EFL sharpshooter
According to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook via his X account, the promotion-chasing side are close to re-signing Ben Brereton-Diaz on loan, after he featured for the South Yorkshire outfit during their dismal 2023/24 season.
The transfer is reported to have been verbally agreed with Southampton, with an initial loan that can be converted into a permanent transfer in the summer.
The move was prompted by Wilder, who clearly liked what he saw of Chile’s last campaign, even as his side struggled against the drop.
Despite the fact that he regularly scored goals at St. Mary’s, the avid EFL follower will see this as a signing of intent by the Blades, knowing full well what his options are in front of goal in the second division through his varied career so far.
What Brereton-Diaz could offer Sheffield United
Far from his well-known heroics at Blackburn Rovers, Brereton-Diaz will still be in the good books of United fans to this day based on his struggles last season when the team was dead and buried at the foot of the Premier League.
After all, he made an impressive record six goals from just 16 appearances for a beleaguered team, and Southampton clearly expected him to be a hit in similar circumstances on the south coast.
It didn’t turn out that way, unfortunately, s zero goals picked up after 13 outings at his new location, leading to Saints offloading him to Wilder’s men.
However, their loss could be United’s big gain, with Brereton-Diaz a lethal goalscorer in the past playing in the demanding Championship, seen in several goal-laden seasons at Ewood Park.
|
Brereton-Diaz’s championship record |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season (club) |
Games |
Objectives |
|
2016/17 (Forest) |
18 |
3 |
|
2017/18 (Forest) |
35 |
5 |
|
2018/19 (Blackburn) |
15 |
1 |
|
2019/20 (Blackburn) |
15 |
1 |
|
2020/21 (Blackburn) |
40 |
7 |
|
2021/22 (Blackburn) |
37 |
22 |
|
2022/23 (Blackburn) |
43 |
14 |
|
Statistics via Transfermarkt. |
||
Over his last two campaigns for the Riversiders, the 6ft 1 striker has notched up a healthy 36 league strikes from 80 total clashes, with this form justifying the praise heaped on him by his former boss Tony Mowbray that he was a “beast” when he rose through the ranks at Blackburn.
With Wilder already getting the best out of similarly experienced EFL faces in Tyrese Campbell and Kieffer Moore, who 11 goals between them in League Two action in 2024/25, Brereton-Diaz is seen as likely to be another success story from an experienced head who fits in well.
The passionate Blades boss will be hoping he can be as influential as Billy Sharp in his camp, with United’s fox-in-the-box legend to attack the net in total. 129 times for his hometown club.
23 of those strikes helped United’s promotion push during the 2018/19 season, with Brereton-Diaz more than capable of reaching those heights based on his impressive goalscoring record in Lancashire.
While his time at Southampton hasn’t gone to plan, there’s no doubting the 25-year-old’s ability in the lower leagues as Wilder and Co look to gain every advantage they can in the fierce battle for promotion.
