Deal agreed: Sheffield United on the verge of signing their next Sharp

Sheffield United will pray that Leeds United falter at the final hurdle once more in the Championship, with the Blades already breathing down their neck in the unpredictable division.

Indeed, Chris Wilder’s Blades are only one point off the summit in the second tier, which could mean an enthralling promotion battle will take place to see who soars up to the Premier League.

To give his side the edge in this ongoing race, Wilder will want to be backed in the transfer market with some top-quality additions, which might well result in a former loanee calling Bramall Lane his home again.

Sheffield United chasing EFL sharp shooter

As per talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook via his X account, the promotion-chasing outfit are close to completing the loan acquisition of Ben Brereton-Diaz once more, having lined up for the South Yorkshire side during their depressing 2023/24 season.

It is being reported that a move has been verbally agreed with Southampton, with the switch an initial loan one that can be turned into a permanent move come the summer.

This statement move has been driven by Wilder, who clearly loved what he saw from the Chilean last campaign even as his side battled against the drop.

Despite drawing regular blanks at St. Mary’s to date, an avid EFL follower will see this as a signing of intent from the Blades, knowing full well what his capabilities in front of goal are in the second tier across his varied career so far.

What Brereton-Diaz could offer Sheffield United

Away from his well-known heroics donning Blackburn Rovers colours, Brereton-Diaz will be in the good books of United supporters to this day based on his fight last season when the team were dead and buried at the foot of the Premier League.

After all, he registered an impressive six goals from just 16 appearances for the beleaguered team, with Southampton clearly expecting him to be a hit in a similar set of circumstances on the South Coast.

It hasn’t panned out that way, unfortunately, with zero goals picked up from 13 outings in his new location, leading to the Saints shifting him off to Wilder’s men.

Their loss could be United’s huge gain, however, with Brereton-Diaz a lethal marksman in the past playing in the demanding Championship, seen in a couple of goal-laden seasons at Ewood Park.

Across his final two campaigns at the Riversiders, the 6 foot 1 striker helped himself to a healthy 36 strikes in the league from 80 total clashes, with this form more than living up to the praise dished out to him by former boss Tony Mowbray that he was a “beast” when advancing up the ranks at Blackburn.

With Wilder already getting the best out of similarly experienced EFL faces in Tyrese Campbell and Kieffer Moore, who have 11 goals between them in second-tier action in 2024/25, Brereton-Diaz feels likely to be another success story of a seasoned head fitting in well.

The passionate Blades boss will hope he can be as influential as Billy Sharp used to be in his camp, with the fox-in-the-box United legend finding the back of the net a total of 129 times for his hometown club.

23 of those strikes aided United’s promotion efforts during the 2018/19 season, with Brereton-Diaz more than capable of reaching those heights based on his blistering goal record in Lancashire.

Whilst his stint at Southampton hasn’t gone to plan, there’s no doubting what the 25-year-old is capable of down a division, as Wilder and Co try and gain any advantages they can in the heated battle for promotion.

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