How Sheffield United feel about signing Jordan James and Leicester City duo | OneFootball

The Blades may look to raid the relegated Foxes this coming summer

Leicester City's relegation to League One was confirmed in midweek with a draw against Hull City, and, with the quality on paper that their side possesses, there'll no doubt be teams queuing up to raid the squad.

The Foxes have epitomised the old cliche that no side is too good to go down as a squad which still holds a good number of stars from their 2023/24 campaign, which ended in a title win, has wound up finishing at the opposite end.

At the start of the season, it looked like Sheffield United would be the surprise package for all the wrong reasons, as a poor summer transfer window led to a disastrous start to the year under Ruben Selles, and despite the Blades scrambling to get Chris Wilder back in the dugout, it wouldn't be until late November that they began to ease any relegation worries.

Now, with two games left, despite threatening a late run into the play-offs, Sheffield United are going to be finishing in mid-table. Therefore, they'll be heading into their first second-tier campaign without Premier League parachute payments since the first promotion under Wilder in the 2018/19 term next season.

With a reshuffle expected at Bramall Lane in the summer, perhaps some Leicester players may find their way to South Yorkshire ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Fresh Sheffield United stance given on Jordan James, Harry Souttar and Hamza Choudhury

Per the Sheffield Star, Sheffield United are keeping tabs on a trio of Leicester stars, two of whom have spent time at Bramall Lane on loan as recently as last season.

The former loanee duo consists of Harry Souttar, whose last appearance actually was in a Blades shirt, having yet to see the pitch since rupturing his Achilles in December 2024 (although he has made the last three matchday squads), and Hamza Coudhury, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Bramall Lane last year, playing every minute in their play-off run.

The Star reports that, with those two still under contract at the King Power Stadium, it may prove difficult for Sheffield United to strike deals, given their financial restraints heading into a parachute payment-less summer, but they do admit that, later in the window, the Foxes may be forced to accept low-end offers to get them off the books.

One man who won't be joining Leicester in League One is Championship Young Player of the Season, Jordan James, who will return to his parent club, Rennes, at the end of the season.

But, with the Foxes holding an initial buy option for the Welshman, who has 11 league goals this season, the expectations were that he'd remain at Leicester, and there's a high likelihood that James will find his way back to England in the summer.

Reports state that one club has already made contact with the Ligue 1 side, and while that isn't Sheffield United, the Blades are said to be monitoring that situation.

Sheffield United will need to play things safe this summer in the transfer window

The Star states that Sheffield United's summer business will likely consist of "loans, frees and modest fees," as they look to remain within financial constraints while also building a squad capable of getting into the play-offs at a minimum.

Evidently, a midfielder is high on the priority list, with Sydie Peck and Gustavo Hamer both being touted to leave to help generate funds.

Chris Wilder has openly stated that he would like to bring back Kalvin Phillips, despite playing just three times since arriving at Bramall Lane and being sent off on his final appearance in the Steel City derby back in February.

But if that fails, perhaps the Blades will turn to Leicester to try and bolster their squad with quality players on paper for relatively low prices. Perhaps then, the current Foxes could rediscover the form which has led them to multiple Premier League and international appearances in the past.