3 reasons why Sheffield United should avoid a move for Rangers' Tom Lawrence | OneFootball

The former Derby County ace has been linked with a move to Bramall Lane, with Burnley also interested.

Sheffield United's season has been a truly excellent one, and despite a two-point deduction at the start of the campaign, they have fought back and currently sit second in the Championship table.

A four-way battle for automatic promotion has unfolded over the course of the last few months, and the Blades will be hoping that they can continue to hold off the pressure of their rivals and secure their return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

To do so, strengthening will be needed, especially in defence following Harry Souttar's season-ending injury. However, Chris Wilder is also keen on improving his strike force, with goals a great desire of the 57-year-old.

Tom Lawrence is a name that has sprung up on the radar of Sheffield United this month, with Burnley and Turkish side Besiktas also interested in the Rangers ace. Nevertheless, Football League World has taken a look at three reasons why the Blades should avoid a move for the attacking midfielder.

Lawrence's recent injury record is alarming

The 31-year-old joined the Scottish giants in the summer of 2022 after his contract at Derby County expired, and he started brightly.

However, he suffered an Achilles tendon injury after just five league appearances, and he did not feature for the rest of the 2022/23 campaign.

He struggled through the first half of last season with fitness issues once again, and despite a desire to put these problems behind him, he has been out of action since the start of November.

Lawrence's contract at Ibrox is coming to an end at the conclusion of the season, and getting a player of his quality for free does seem like an excellent idea, but he has found it too difficult to remain fit consistently, and Sheffield United must avoid this at all costs.

At 31, Lawrence is coming into the final years of his career, with the majority of that being spent in the second tier of English football.

He has played just four times in the Premier League since first playing in the division for Manchester United as a 20-year-old in a 3-1 win at Old Trafford against Hull City, however, he has not featured in the top flight since coming off the bench for Leicester City, also against the Tigers, in 2015.

His experience in the Championship is plentiful, but there will be a great amount of uncertainty about whether he can replicate his form in England's top division. He has gone past his prime, and will only find consistency more difficult to come by as he gets older, and it would be a huge risk for the Blades.

Wilder has ambitions of making the Yorkshire outfit a side that is capable of staying in the Premier League, and Lawrence may not be able to provide the goals and assists to help them do that.

Lawrence's goal record is not good enough

The attacking midfielder has struggled for goals over the last few campaigns, in part due to injury, but he has had these difficulties in previous years.

He has registered double digits in league goals in just two seasons in his career, with both of those coming at Derby. He scored 10 in 2019/20 before firing in 11 times in 2021/22 as the Rams were relegated to League One following administration.

However, since then, he has found the back of the net just seven times in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers, and his consistency in the final third has taken a downturn.

Sheffield United need a player that will be a constant threat, and provide the team with goal contributions every other week. Lawrence cannot do that at this point in his career, and choosing a player who is at a younger age and has more potential would be a better decision for the Blades.