VERSATILE LEEDS UNITED PLAYER AGREES DEAL WITH YORKSHIRE RIVALS AFTER FAILING TO AGREE NEW DEAL

Sheffield United have made their first move in the summer transfer window since suffering relegation from the Premier League after agreeing a deal with Leeds United’s Jamie Shackleton for a free transfer with the player failing to agree a new deal with Daniel Farke’s side. 

The 24-year-old has made just under 100  appearances for Leeds United, but has failed to become a first-team regular since being promoted to the senior squad in 2018.

Leeds United Are Losing a Valuable Squad Player

Shackleton made 11 appearances in the Championship for the Whites last season, seven of which were from the start. He started six of the first nine league games and made an appearance from the bench at Portman Road, supplying an assist for what turned out to be the winning goal in a 4-3 win over Premier League-bound Ipswich Town. This momentum was halted as he lost his place in the squad for the remainder of the season.

The former England under-20 international made 10 starts across two seasons in the Premier League from 2020-2022 but had his most regular minutes on the pitch with Millwall in the 2022/23 campaign. He made 36 appearances and displayed his versatility playing across a variety of midfield roles.

There is undoubtedly a place for Shackleton in the second-tier with his impressive work-rate and ball carrying skills. He has yet to show he has the techncial ability to be a regular at a side playing in the Premier League, but his versatility in being able to play at either side as a full-back and in a deep lying midfield role are eseential for clubs with the hectic schedule of the second-tier.

Sheffield United Relegation Exodus – Key Players Leave Bramall Lane

Chris Wilder has lost Max Lowe, Wes Foderingham, Ben Brererton Diaz, Yasser Larouci and George Baldock since the end of the 2023/24 season that ended in relegation from the Premier League. As reported by Football Insider, they have made a move to fill the gap by agreeing a deal for Leeds United’s Shackleton. The same source reports that the Whites did intitally want to extend his contract but no agreement could be reached.

The names listed above include three full-backs so it would appear that Shackleton is being to signed to partially fill the gap by those departures. Wilder is known to favour playing with wing-backs or wide midfield players in a 3-5-2 or 4-5-1 and this would suit the skillset Shackleton possesses. He is tailor-made for either role out wide in deep areas with his ball-carrying abilities.

It should be a busy summer for the blades, who will need to reinforce the squad after the departures of numerous stalwarts. Sheffield United will begin the new Championship season with a two point deduction after falling foul of the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules.

2024-06-27T17:18:09Z dg43tfdfdgfd