Football League World
·29. November 2024
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·29. November 2024
Rhian Brewster's injury issues have hampered his progress at Sheffield United over the last few seasons.
Chris Wilder has revealed Rhian Brewster could be set for a return to action imminently, having missed each of Sheffield United's last four games.
The Blades striker has had plenty of bad luck with injuries and inconsistent form in front of goal since moving to Bramall Lane from Liverpool in October 2020. He was a signing that promised so much, but his spell at Sheffield United has been overshadowed by injuries.
Brought to the club for a huge £23.5 million, Brewster has recovered from injuries to play on a regular basis this season, mostly from the bench, but it's clear that Wilder likes him and wants him to do well to get back on track, following an exciting start to the young striker's career prior to joining the Blades.
However, the 24-year-old has had woes in front of goal, and while injuries clearly haven't helped, he'll be desperately disappointed with his lack of goals in a Sheffield United shirt since the move.
Wilder has stated Brewster is "really close" to returning to first-team action after missing the Blades' last four matches. He has struggled with hamstring issues for much of the last few years, but the latest muscle issue appears to be healed.
Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield: "Rhian's really close. I said that on Tuesday night we have to make a really considered, sensible decision with Rhian considering his past injury record as well."
Brewster is entering the final season of his deal at Bramall Lane and will be desperate to impress, be that to secure a new contract with the Blades or to gain the best possible contract he can elsewhere by ending the season in good form and returning them to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Kieffer Moore and Tyrese Campbell have shared the workload up top so far this season in his absence, but both players have had recent injury troubles of their own to limit their game time. Moore remains out for the clash against Sunderland this evening.
"We don’t think Kieffer’s going to make it. He'll be one week," Wilder added. That should see Campbell continue in attack, but Brewster's return should boost Sheffield United's attacking options, which are thin on the ground at present.
There aren't many players who deserve a stroke of luck more than Brewster currently does, and if he can start finding the back of the net, they may see glimpses of the player who commanded such a large fee just four years ago.
At the moment, it looks unlikely that Brewster would earn a new deal at Sheffield United, but Wilder rates him and if he could just find some confidence and string a run of starts together, there's no reason why he can't turn his career around and extend his stay at the club.
The problem has been that, even when Brewster has been able to play, he's rarely been able to make a meaningful impact in a Blades shirt. His last goal for the club came during a 3-1 defeat to Stoke City in early October 2022.
It appears unlikely that he will be a Sheffield United player beyond the end of the season unless his fitness and form remain consistent for a prolonged period of time in the second half of the campaign.