Sheffield United eyeing transfer swoop for £5m Burnley player | OneFootball

Burnley outcast Joe Worrall could be on the move to Bramall Lane, with Sheffield United targeting the ex-Nottm Forest man

Sheffield United are targeting a move for Burnley defender Joe Worrall in the final week of the transfer window.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that Blades manager Chris Wilder doesn't need any new defensive options after the first two Championship matches of 2026-27, with clean sheets kept in goalless draws against Birmingham City and Swansea.

However, depth is thin on the ground at Bramall Lane in certain areas of the pitch, and despite the lack of goals being scored right now, it is at the back where Wilder is desperate for at least one new addition.

Sheffield United want Burnley centre-back on temporary deal

And according to a report from Alan Nixon via Patreon, one player who is now on the Blades' radar is Joe Worrall, who has plenty of Championship experience under his belt.

A Nottingham Forest academy graduate, Worrall racked up over 200 appearances for the Tricky Trees after making his debut in October 2016, of which 171 came at second tier level in the regular seasons and play-offs.

Worrall fell out of favour during the 2023-24 season at the City Ground though when Forest were a Premier League club, and his 13-year association with them came to an end when a £5 million transfer with Burnley was agreed during the summer of 2024 to take him to Turf Moor.

Playing just 26 times across his first two seasons in Lancashire though, Worrall was never truly in favour with previous Clarets boss Scott Parker, but the 29-year-old still has two years left on the four-year contract that he penned.

Sheffield United are now looking to offer Worrall a lifeline in the form of a loan move to South Yorkshire, especially after his place in the pecking order was nudged further down after the recent arrivals of ex-Blade Anel Ahmedhodzic, as well as Man City youngster Max Alleyne.

It's not the first time that Wilder has wanted to sign Worrall, with FLW exclusively revealing at the end of the January transfer window of 2026 that Sheffield United wanted to bring him in for the remainder of the campaign, but a deal was never struck in the end.

Sheffield United transfer strategy has changed in recent weeks

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Sheffield United have been chasing centre-back targets all summer, with Tyler Bindon's return to Nottingham Forest leaving a hole at the back - not to mention the fact that Mark McGuinness is available for a move after just one year in South Yorkshire.

Former United loanee Harry Souttar has been the top target, with Wilder keen to re-unite with the towering Australia international, but despite the centre-half himself reportedly keen on the move, a deal hasn't been agreed with Leicester City for his services.

And it now looks like that particular move could be dead in the water, with Wilder revealing within the last week that the focus has turned back on to free transfers and loan deals for incomings - that is despite raking in another £6 million in transfer fees from Gus Hamer's return to Coventry City.

Adam Webster is said to be a target for the Blades on a free transfer after his exit from Brighton, but Worrall is the latest target if he can be acquired on a temporary basis.

Joe Worrall could be a smart Sheffield United addition

Even though McGuinness has slotted back into the Sheffield United starting 11 rather well despite his availability for transfer, the need for a new centre-back for Chris Wilder is evident.

If McGuinness were to get injured, it would leave Wilder with limited resources to bring into to partner Japhet Tanganga at the back - hence the long summer pursuit of the aforementioned Souttar.

With that now off the table though, the best quality loans will been to be sought after, and Worrall could fit the bill if Burnley allow him to depart.

Realistically, Worrall isn't getting much game-time ahead of Ahmedhodzic and Alleyne, with Bashir Humphreys also a centre-back when not playing at left-back, and even Kyle Walker has been featuring in the middle of defence as opposed to at right-back.

If United can pay Worrall's wages and potentially a loan fee for the season, then there should be little reason as to why they can't get this deal sorted for a player with a lot of Championship experience under his belt.