Sheffield United should eye Preston North End situation as Gus Hamer uncertainty grows | OneFootball

Gustavo Hamer's future at Bramall Lane is incredibly uncertain, and the Blades should be looking at a certain Preston North End star right now.

Sheffield United's hopes of finishing in a play-off position in the Championship this season are slowly diminishing, with Wrexham holding strong in sixth place, while Chris Wilder's side struggle to find consistency in the league.

There is no denying that the Blades' shocking start to the campaign has had a significant impact on their chances of finishing in the top six, and instead their focus may slowly be turning to the summer and making the necessary changes to the squad to help push them up the table in 2026/27.

One of those who may well be departing Bramall Lane is Gustavo Hamer, with the midfielder's future in S2 extremely uncertain, having been linked with a move away from the club on a number of occasions in the past. However, the difficulty that comes with replacing such a key star, and one who has made a huge impact on the team in recent years.

Yet, there may be the perfect answer to that question already in the Championship, and Sheffield United have had success in the past with bringing in proven players from the division before and giving them a fresh start in red-and-white. Now, Preston North End may just have the new ace that Wilder needs to potentially replace Hamer if he is to leave.

Sheffield United should raid Preston North End if Gustavo Hamer leaves this summer

The 28-year-old has been vital to the Blades in the last couple of seasons, but he will have ambitions of playing in the top flight either in England or in another nation in Europe. Football League World's Coventry Fan Pundit has tipped Hamer to return to the club if they win promotion, and this could be the perfect move for the Dutchman.

However, that would leave Sheffield United lacking in the left-wing position, and they should be keeping a keen eye on Preston's Lewis Dobbin in the final weeks of the season as the ex-Everton man would be the ideal replacement for the former Sky Blues ace.

Dobbin is on loan at Deepdale from Premier League side Aston Villa and he has really impressed under the guidance of Paul Heckingbottom.

The 23-year-old has scored seven times in 28 Championship appearances, while also registering five assists for a team that have been sniffing around the play-off places since the very start of the campaign.

Yet, with the Lilywhites now sliding down the table, and the Blades likely to be involved in the fight for the top six and beyond next season, Villa may be keen to see their young star featuring for a side with different ambitions in 2026/27, and Sheffield United could be exactly that.

Sheffield United have a rich history of taking players to the next level

While nobody expected the South Yorkshire outfit to be struggling at the bottom of the second tier earlier this season, they have risen up the table quickly and that is all thanks to Wilder's managerial nous and ability to get the very best out of players at Bramall Lane.

The likes of Callum O'Hare, Tyrese Campbell and Michael Cooper have all improved greatly in S2, despite having played at this level on countless occasions previously, and Dobbin should see the example of these players and become the next star in the Steel City.

If Aston Villa are willing to sell the ex-Derby County loanee in the summer, at this point it seems unlikely that Preston will be able to afford him, and Sheffield United should move in quickly.

He would be ample replacement for Hamer on the left-wing, and as a more natural out-and-out wide man, he would be able to provide Patrick Bamford with some excellent crosses and his pace would be of huge use to Wilder and the rest of his Blades team.

His arrival would also allow O'Hare to play in a more central position on a more frequent basis.

This would bring a significantly better balance to Sheffield United, and will only help them in their push for promotion to the top flight next season.

Nonetheless, it is clear to see Dobbin has plenty of potential and will have his sights on making it to the Premier League himself in the near future on a consistent basis.