Sheffield United transfer eyes on winger who shone v Liverpool amid future admission, rival interest, injury situation
Reyes Cleary, the exciting Barnsley winger, is one of many names on Sheffield United’s long list of transfer targets, The Star has been told, as the Blades look to do some late business ahead of Monday night’s deadline. The Blades are still light in midfield and are eyeing another centre-back.
But the wide areas were another area of focus going into the window, after the termination of Louie Barry’s loan from Aston Villa earlier in the month. United have cast the net far and wide in their search with Cleary one of a number of players to have been considered.
United’s Championship rivals Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers have also been heavily linked with the 21-year-old, who only joined Barnsley in the summer from West Bromwich Albion. United are not understood to have solidified their initial interest as yet but it is an indication of the calibre of player they are eyeing.
An impressive performance in the FA Cup against reigning Premier League champions earlier this season only enhanced Cleary’s reputation while the winger scored a remarkable goal from inside his own half against Bradford City back in October.
Barnsley rejected four bids from two Championship clubs early in the window and have already warned the player’s potential suitors that any deal for Cleary would not come cheap.
Sheffield United transfer eyes on winger who shone v Liverpool amid future admission, rival interest, injury situation
But at the same time Oakwell officials have a valuation of their key man, with the situation potentially complicated further by an early injury he sustained last night against Cardiff City.
“I felt like from the first minute he didn't look right,” Reds boss Conor Hourihane, a former United midfielder, told the Barnsley Chronicle afterwards. “He didn't report anything to us to say that he was injured. But for the first goal, he should be sprinting back there and helping out the defence two-v-one.
“But he just didn't quite get out, get into a sprint and then obviously, 15, 10 minutes later, he's been taken off. So I wonder, did he come into the game with something that didn't quite get him going?”
Cleary has played mostly off the left for the Reds this season and United don’t have a natural left winger in their squad. Andre Brooks, Tahith Chong and the returning Chieo Ogbene are all right-sided while both Gus Hamer and Callum O’Hare have played off the other wing this term.
Heading into the final few days of the window, Hourihane remains hopeful that Cleary will still be at Oakwell past Monday’s 7pm deadline. “We’ve got a task to do in terms of getting bodies in, and hopefully we won’t lose any,” Hourihane said. “I think that’s just as important. They’re all important players for us.”
Asked recently if Barnsley were in a position to hold out for maximum value for their in-demand players, or were under pressure to sell, the former midfielder admitted: “That’s the difficult one for me to answer. You’d have to ask the board that question. We know the cycle that we’re in, we know that everyone’s got a price. I’m hoping as head coach that all the players mentioned will stay in this window.
“And that a figure, that the club feel is a good figure, isn’t met. I know all the players mentioned will be pretty costly for other clubs and hopefully, come next Monday, we’re sitting here with a couple of new reinforcements and those players still in the building.”
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