Sheffield United will immediately want to make amends for their shock 3-0 defeat to Hull City when travelling to Derby County next.
Before that sobering loss, the Blades had won their last three matches in the Championship, but their confidence will have been dented somewhat by the Tigers causing some unexpected chaos at Bramall Lane.
Chris Wilder will want to see the fresh players he’s purchased in the form of Ben Brereton Diaz and Tom Cannon perform better at Pride Park as part of their new group, with more new signings reportedly in the pipeline which includes a deal for this Brazilian midfielder.
Sheffield United interested in Brazilian star
As per a fresh report by the Sunday Mirror – that has been relayed by the Sheffield Star – the Blades are interested in snapping up midfield gem Danilo Barbosa this window, with his current employers Botafago preparing to offload their star to cash in on him before his contract runs out.
The Championship promotion chasers aren’t the only side keen on landing the 28-year-old, however, as both Leeds United and Everton are named as other parties looking at the 6-foot holding midfielder who could be sold for as little as £2m before February’s early deadline.
With United reportedly also keen on bringing in Hamza Choudhury, as a loan move for the Leicester City reserve figure to uproot to South Yorkshire looks more and more imminent, there could well be a new-look core to Wilder’s side as the holding midfield positions undergo a revamp.
What Barbosa could offer Sheffield United
There would be a method to Wilder’s madness here, with the holding midfield positions in his side not exactly blessed with substantial depth at the moment owing to Ollie Arblaster being out with a serious injury.
That was evident in the Hull defeat with Harrison Burrows drafted in to play as an anchor for his team when he had been predominantly played as an option down the left flank for most of the campaign so far, with academy product Sydie Peck also having to remain in the spotlight alongside Burrows.
Bringing in Barbosa would give Wilder a fresh body away from having to rely on the likes of Peck and Burrows to shine, with the 28-year-old a well-travelled figure who would relish the opportunity to star in England.
This season to date for Botafago, Barbosa has shown off his ability to be calm on the ball and a goal threat as much as he has also proven himself to be an attritional figure centrally, with a rock-solid duo perhaps forming if the ex-Braga man was to join the Blades ranks soon alongside Choudhury.
Stat (* = per game)
Barbosa
Choudhury
Games played
25
36
Goals scored
3
0
Assists
1
0
Touches*
32.0
54.0
Accurate passes*
19.7 (84%)
34.1 (84%)
Interceptions*
1.0
2.3
Tackles*
1.2
3.0
Clearances*
1.4
1.1
Total duels won*
3.1
5.1
Looking at the table above, Barbosa does better Choudhury in terms of his attacking output when looking at the 27-year-old’s last season in the second tier under Wilder’s wing at Watford, with four goal contributions next to none for Choudhury.
But, the Foxes man more than makes up for his deficiencies in an attacking sense with his strengths as a defensive presence, as more interceptions, tackles and duels are won on average by Choudhury than his potential new Brazilian teammate.
Having also won promotion up to the Premier League last year when more game-time came his way at the King Power Stadium, Choudhury looks like he will be a sterling capture for the Blades.
Partnering him alongside a new face to the English game could also work wonders for Barbosa, as more and more signings are tipped to join the ever-growing camp.
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