Sheffield United eyeing Barnsley star ahead of £7m Callum O'Hare transfer exit | OneFootball

Reyes Cleary has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Sheffield United as Callum O'Hare finalises a move to Wrexham

Barnsley's Reyes Cleary has been mentioned as a target for Sheffield United to reignite their interest in, as the Blades look to replace Callum O'Hare in the late stages of the transfer window.

It was already expected to be an incredibly busy deadline day at Bramall Lane, with a centre-back still being targeted ahead of the transfer window closing. A loan move for Liam Kitching looks to be being considered on that front.

But now, United also face needing to replace their main creative outlet and last season's club Player of the Year, Callum O'Hare, as he finalises a reported £7 million move to Championship rivals Wrexham.

With Gustavo Hamer leaving earlier this summer, O'Hare's importance would have increased tenfold. But now he's set to leave, too, and Sheffield United won't want to go into the coming months without a suitable replacement.

Reyes Cleary namedropped as Sheffield United go hunting for Callum O'Hare replacement

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O'Hare was a rare bright spark amongst what was a dismal 2025/26 campaign for Sheffield United. He netted eight and assisted eight, doubling his goal contributions from his debut season the year before.

The 28-year-old has always been on the precipise of the Premier League, whether that be at Bramall Lane or at Coventry City before his move to South Yorkshire, so keeping him would have maintained some hope that, despite the club needing to recoup fees for stars such as Hamer and Andre Brooks, they could still be in with a shout of landing a top eight spot.

However, O'Hare is set to be cashed in on, too, after scoring twice in the opening five games of the campaign. That's now 33 goal contributions from Hamer and O'Hare last season that need replacing.

The Sheffield Star have acknowledged that the Blades need to move quickly to secure a replacement for the attacking midfielder, and Barnsley star Cleary has been mentioned by sources during the late stages of the window.

The 22-year-old burst onto the scene at Oakwell last season, registering 20 goal contributions in just 30 League One starts, and already has a couple of goals and assists in all competitions this season.

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Barnsley have been a club who have excelled in ensuring they get value for their players during their time in League One, with sizable seven-figure fees being received for the likes of Kitching, Mads Andersen and, more recently, Davis Keillor-Dunn, in recent years.

According to Darren Witcoop, the Reds have turned down bids of up to £3 million from Championship sides for Cleary this summer, and with the transfer window closing later today, there's every likelihood that asking price could be higher.

In the latter stages of the January window last season, Barnsley slapped an £8 million price tag on their star wideman. Arguably, the 22-year-old is more important to Daniel Stendel's side now than he was back in February.

Sheffield United were one of those sides who saw themselves priced out back in January. They'll be hoping that the same won't be true once more seven months on.

Sheffield United's transfer budget over Callum O'Hare replacement "unclear"

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While the Sheffield Star states that the Blades need to act quickly and that Cleary is a name being thrown around, there's a lack of clarity over how much money will become available to sign an O'Hare replacement as and when the deal is completed.

The article even suggests that there's a possibility that none of the proceeds from a sale will be put into securing a replacement, which would be a massive cause for concern.

If a move for Cleary can be completed, it would give Blades fans a much-needed spark of excitement to end what has been a rather dismal few months of transfer activity, with targets being unattainable due to price tags and other Championship clubs being able to afford more than they can.

But if it turns out that Sheffield United end up being priced out of a move for the 22-year-old, and they continue with what they've got already at the club following O'Hare's departure, then there'll be some worry over where the creativity will come from in the coming months.

Barnsley will drive a hard bargain, especially at this stage of the window, but it may be a deal that the Blades cannot afford to lose out on as they look to better last season's disappointment.