"Never been that sure" - Sheffield United player tipped to struggle if Premier League transfer arises | OneFootball

At FLW we have spoken to our Sheffield United fan pundit to get his verdict on the John Egan transfer saga.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sheffield United are preparing for life in the Championship next season after their disappointing relegation from the Premier League.

Having released their retain list late last month, the Blades revealed that they had offered a new deal to long-time servant John Egan, who has been with the club since 2018 after signing from Brentford.

Whilst last season did not go to plan for anyone at the South Yorkshire side, Egan suffered the worst luck of all, with a serious achilles injury putting him out of action from October onwards.

With the Irishman set to be fit for the upcoming campaign, he will hope for a change of fortunes, but it remains to be seen whether that will be at the Blades or somewhere else.

Two unnamed Premier League sides are eyeing a move for Egan, according to The Telegraph, and at the age of 31, it may be his last chance to play top tier football.

Sheffield United are working hard to keep him, but with no announcement yet, has the defender's head been swayed?

Is Sheffield United defender John Egan good enough for the Premier League?

Football League World's Sheffield United fan pundit Owain Wyse is unconvinced that Egan will still be able to perform at Premier League level at the age he is.

"I have never been that sure of John Egan as a Premier League player," Owain told FLW.

"As a Championship centre-half he is one of the very best in the division and reads the game very well and is often a step ahead of the forwards he is up against.

"He was an integral part of that absolutely brilliant season (2019-20). However, the season after he was part of the worst defences in the division."

Despite the concerns around his ability in the Premier League, Wyse still has faith in Egan to perform for Sheffield United if he signs a new contract, despite a lengthy period on the sidelines.

"I can see why Premier League clubs would be interested, especially on a free transfer where he could do a good squad rotation role at the bottom of the Premier League," Owain added.

"But it remains to be seen how well he will come back from his injury.

"I do hope we will keep him as he is a proper leader and our back-line has been built around him for a number of years, and he is an absolute rock at the heart of a Championship back-line!"

The £4 million Sheffield United forked out for the defender back in 2018 has undoubtedly been paid back in performances.

Even if he hasn't always hit the heights in the Premier League, the Irishman has helped them get promoted twice to the top tier.

Aside from last season, a key factor in his time at Sheffield United has been his availability.

This was no more evident than in the 2022-23 promotion campaign where he made 51 appearances across all competitions, captaining the side frequently.

If his Blades career has ended, then you would imagine that all fans would wish him well in his future at whatever club he decides to go to.

However, his experience and presence in the side would be sorely missed, and Sheffield United would be much better placed by retaining his services, especially with the expected exit of Anel Ahmedhodzic.