Sheffield United closing in on European top-flight transfer swoop - It could cost more than £8m | OneFootball

Sheffield United closing in on European top-flight transfer swoop - It could cost more than £8m | OneFootball

In partnership with

Yahoo sports
Icon: Football League World

Football League World

·21 de julio de 2025

Sheffield United closing in on European top-flight transfer swoop - It could cost more than £8m

Imagen del artículo:Sheffield United closing in on European top-flight transfer swoop - It could cost more than £8m

According to reports in Portugal, Sheffield United are closing in on the signing of Braga midfielder Djibril Soumare

Sheffield United are closing in on the loan addition of Braga midfielder Djibril Soumare, who will join Ruben Selles' side on a permanent basis if promotion is achieved during the upcoming 2025/26 Championship campaign.


OneFootball Videos


As reported on Sunday afternoon by Portuguese outlet Record, Soumare is on his way to joining the Blades in an initial loan deal which could see him become the Championship promotion hopefuls' third signing of the summer transfer window under new head coach Selles.

United have signed Ehjie Ukaki, another AI-driven acquisition as part of Steve Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy's recruitment policy, and Tyler Bindon on loan from Nottingham Forest. Louie Barry, meanwhile, is poised to arrive in another loan deal early this week, with the Aston Villa forward having been signed by Selles during his time in charge of Championship rivals Hull City.

Selles, who replaced Chris Wilder at the helm following his contentious dismissal at the MKM Stadium despite keeping the Tigers in the Championship on the final day of last season, confirmed during the Blades' pre-season tour of Spain that his side would be shopping in the markets for free and loan transfers for the time being this summer, after Football League World exclusively revealed this approach.

United made strong use of the loan market in the previous campaign as they won 92 points and finished in third place before losing out to Sunderland in May's play-off final at Wembley, with no less than seven temporary additions sanctioned throughout the season by ex-boss Wilder.

Sheffield United set to sign Braga's Djibril Soumare

According to the aforementioned report, Soumare is "on his way" to the Championship with Sheffield United.

Imagen del artículo:Sheffield United closing in on European top-flight transfer swoop - It could cost more than £8m

It's said that the 22-year-old was absent from the squad for Braga's recent pre-season fixture against Celta Vigo over the weekend as he edges closer to completing a move to South Yorkshire, which will become permanent if Selles' side go on to achieve promotion next season.

United will reportedly be shelling out a loan fee of €1.1 million (£952,000) to acquire Soumare's services for the season, and promotion would mandate his stay becoming a permanent one with a purchase obligation said to be €8.5 million (£7.3 million).

Braga could also have what appears to be a 15% sell-on clause, with the Portuguese outfit expecting Soumare to kick on and progress further following an encouraging season out on loan with fellow Liga Portugal side Nacional.

The defensive midfielder has only ever made two appearances for Braga but enjoyed regular football at Nacional, where he featured on 25 occasions.

Braga's Djibril Soumare is an unknown quantity for Sheffield United

It's hard to know exactly what to make of Sheffield United's latest impending capture, as Soumare represents a completely unknown quantity on English shores and has clocked up just 27 senior appearances in Portugal.

However, United are seemingly convinced of his quality, as evidenced by the outlay to take him on loan and potentially permanently, too. That should offer some reassurance to supporters, who are desperate to see an ample replacement sourced for Vini Souza after the midfielder joined Wolfsburg of the Bundesliga earlier this month.

Imagen del artículo:Sheffield United closing in on European top-flight transfer swoop - It could cost more than £8m
Ver detalles de la publicación