Sheffield United are yet to conduct any business this month but they have been linked with a plethora of options.
Whether it be defenders Luke Woolfenden and Elias Cobbaut or midfielder Adrien Tameze, the list includes some relatively unheard names.
However, one name who is beginning to rise in stock is Glen Kamara.
Once wanted by Juventus (The Scottish Daily Mail – 01/12, back page), the Rangers midfielder is now a target for the Blades.
It won’t be a straightforward chase, though, with plenty of Premier League clubs in the race including Arsenal, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Burnley.
But if he did indeed sign, what could he bring to Bramall Lane?
On the chalkboard
Chris Wilder’s men have been a revelation in the Premier League this term after being promoted from the Championship. They sit comfortably in the top half of the Premier League, occupying sixth place in the division.
One of the most impressive aspects of their play has been their defence and midfield who have helped the Blades concede just 21 times in 22 outings.
John Lundstram, John Fleck and Oliver Norwood have missed just one game between them this season but that could be disrupted by Kamara if he walks through the doors in January.
However, that wouldn’t be a bad thing. In fact, the Finland international could bring something different to the middle of the park.
Good in transition
Combining the 24-year-old’s pass success from recent UEFA Nations League and Europa League matches, it sits at a mightily impressive 88.2%.
If you compare that to the rest of the Sheffield United squad, it betters everyone who has started a league encounter.
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It’s also a considerable distance ahead of every midfielder in the Blades’ ranks. Lundstram tops the midfield list with a success rate of 83.3%, which is still an impressive number but Kamara would offer far greater protection on the ball.
The midfielder’s ability to keep things ticking over in such a cool and composed manner would provide something different to a team who doesn’t keep possession perhaps as carefully as they could do. The fact that Norwood and Fleck average a pass success rate closer to 80% is evidence of that.
The duo have still had a key role to play in United’s rise up the table but there is a reason to believe they could get even better in transitional phases if Kamara arrives. As someone who picks up the ball and moves it on quickly and accurately, this would be a smart signing for the Yorkshire outfit.
In other Blades news, Wilder could be about to land his John Egan successor…