Rangers set to deal Sheffield United transfer blow - £5m deal close | OneFootball

The Scottish giants are closing in on a deal to sign one of the Blades' transfer targets.

Sheffield United are set to be dealt a transfer blow by Scottish giants Rangers, with Russell Martin's side closing in on a deal to sign one of Ruben Selles' top targets.

The Gers are in advanced talks to sign Finnish international Oliver Antman from Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles for a fee in the region of £5 million, as per Teamtalk.com.

Sheffield United were said to be leading the race for the winger, according to journalist Alan Nixon via his Patreon on Sunday, but it now seems as though Rangers are closing in on a deal to sign the 23-year-old this summer.

Reports of Antman opting for a move to Rangers will no doubt be a blow for the Blades, especially after it was reported that funds had been raised in order to bring the player to Bramall Lane.

Football League World exclusively revealed earlier this month that Sheffield United have been operating on a restricted transfer budget and were looking mainly at free transfers and loans, so they will be frustrated that they look set to miss out on Antman having managed to raise money for the transfer.

Sheffield United set to miss out on Antman

Sheffield United were one of several Championship clubs that Antman was offered to by Go Ahead Eagles, with the Dutch outfit hoping to receive a club-record fee for the winger, and the Blades were ready to spend the funds they had raised in order to bring him to South Yorkshire.

However, Antman, who impressed in the Eredivisie last season, is said to favour a move to Ibrox, where he will be able to compete for a league title in Scotland and potentially play UEFA Champions League football if Rangers can navigate their way through the qualification rounds.

Negotiations between Rangers and Go Ahead Eagles have progressed, with a deal worth around £5 million close to being completed and personal terms unlikely to result in any stumbling blocks.

It is understood that the deal could be completed within the next 48 hours, which would put any remaining hopes that Sheffield United have to bed and allow them to turn their attention to other targets.

Former Southampton boss Russell Martin has already dealt one transfer blow to a club in the Steel City this summer with the signing of Djeidi Gassama from Sheffield Wednesday, and it now looks like he is going to do the same to Sheffield United by winning the race for a player they were prepared to put a significant portion of their budget towards.

Sheffield United must look elsewhere

Now that the Blades are set to miss out on Antman, they must find alternative targets to ensure they have enough quality in wide areas next season.

Ruben Selles will be able to rely on Andre Brooks and Louie Barry on either flank next term, but it remains to be seen whether Ehije Ukaki, Christian Nwachukwu or Jefferson Caceres can be trusted to deliver regularly in the Championship at this stage of their careers.

It will be interesting to see if Sheffield United are willing to invest the funds they raised for Antman on any other transfer targets they have been marvelling at this summer, or whether they will enter the loan market in search of another winger.