How much Tom Cannon has cost Sheffield United per goal as Bramall Lane exit touted | OneFootball

Tom Cannon has failed to live up to expectations at Sheffield United so far following his £10m move from Leicester City in January 2025.

Sheffield United’s transfer policy has come under scrutiny in recent windows as the club look to seal a return to the Premier League.

Clearly, the decision to use AI to assist Ruben Selles in the summer did not work at all, with Chris Wilder, who returned to Bramall Lane for a third time back in September reshaping the squad in January as a result.

That has left the Blades in a much better place, but the reality is that even when Wilder was in place, some of the deals were questionable and points questions towards a wider recruitment policy during recent times.

How much Tom Cannon has cost Sheffield United per goal

One that certainly falls into that category was the arrival of Tom Cannon, who joined the Yorkshire outfit from Leicester City for around £10m in January 2025.

In fairness, you could understand the logic behind the transfer at the time, as Cannon had enjoyed a prolific first half of the season out on loan at Stoke City.

A return of nine goals in 22 games was impressive, and it was hoped that he could help take Sheffield United back to the Premier League.

Sadly for the Irishman, his time with the Blades just hasn’t worked out at all at the moment, and he scored just once in 17 games as Wilder’s side reached the play-offs before losing to Sunderland in the final.

This season, things haven’t got much better, with Cannon finding the net just four times in 28 outings, with his last strike coming on New Year's Day, meaning he has managed just five since his arrival.

That’s not to say that Cannon hasn’t contributed, as he has still put in some decent all-round performances, but strikers are mainly judged on goals.

When you take into account the fee that Sheffield United paid for the 23-year-old, it works out at £2m a goal, and that’s simply not good enough, which is why FLW have been told they should cash in on the player this summer by our resident Blades fan pundit Jimmy - even if it’s at a substantial loss.

Tom Cannon has to convince Chris Wilder he deserves a future at Sheffield United

Cannon still has three years left on his contract at Sheffield United, so there’s no guarantee he will move on this summer, and it may be tricky from a financial perspective.

But, the striker needs to do more if he wants to be part of Wilder’s squad moving forward, as the boss is likely to oversee more major changes this summer, regardless of what league the club is in.

It’s not like Cannon is frozen out at Sheffield United, as he has started games recently, which suggests Wilder does see something in him. Ultimately, though, he needs to start repaying that faith with goals.

The beauty of football is that things can change very quickly, and it could be a case of one goal getting him going again.

Sheffield United will still feel they have a lot to play for this season, and Cannon could justify the fee if he did grab the winner in the play-off final.

Unfortunately, right now, you have to say it has been a poor deal for all parties, which is backed up by the fact he has cost £2m a goal.