Sheffield United is grappling with a transfer conundrum as they approach the final week of the January transfer window.
Chris Wilder may face an additional decision in the final week of the January transfer window, as he acknowledges a potential surplus in Sheffield United’s goalkeeping department once Ivo Grbic’s move to Bramall Lane is finalized. The towering goalkeeper is on the verge of completing his transfer from Atletico Madrid.
Grbic, having been on the bench for Diego Simeone’s side in their victory at Granada, was granted permission to travel to England and underwent a medical earlier in the week. Despite Wilder’s usual discretion regarding transfer matters, he briefly discussed the impending deal in his press conference leading up to Sheffield United’s FA Cup tie against Brighton this weekend.
The upcoming addition of Grbic may pose an additional challenge for Chris Wilder in the goalkeeper department, which is already well-equipped with the likes of Wes Foderingham, Adam Davies, and Jordan Amissah. Wilder has expressed his intention to prevent the squad from becoming overcrowded in the latter half of the season. As part of this strategy, he has approved the loan departure of Ismaila Coulibaly, with the possibility of him joining a team in Portugal.
In response to the question of whether he might allow one of his goalkeepers to leave following Grbic’s signing, Wilder stated, “Adam’s injured at the moment, so we’ll see what we have to do in the next week. It is possibly one heavy so we’ll make a decision. We’ll make a call on that.”
While Wilder refrained from discussing Grbic in detail until the deal was finalized, he did drop a hint about the importance of long-term planning in a crucial department. With Foderingham, Davies, and Amissah all entering the final six months of their contracts with the Blades, Wilder emphasized the need to consider bolstering the goalkeeping department. “We’ve got three goalkeepers out of contract as well,” Wilder noted, “so it’s something we had to look at as well, in terms of bolstering that department.”
“It’s a deal we’ll talk about when it gets over the line,” remarked Wilder, who recently praised the signing of highly-rated Irish prospect Sam Curtis as a player for the Blades’ future. “You’d like to think there are a lot of good reasons we’re trying to sign these players, as shown by Ben [Brereton Diaz]’s performance at the weekend. And hopefully the two or three we’re looking to bring in, whether they’re 18-year-olds for the future or ready to contribute immediately, there’s a reason we want to bring the boys to the club. To make us better in every way.”
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