Sheffield United may have Benie Traore regret as £3.9m flop seals transfer | OneFootball

Benie Traore made just nine appearances for the Blades.

In the summer of 2023, Sheffield United were preparing for their return to the Premier League after finishing second in the Championship.

Despite their promotion, the Blades entered the 2023/24 campaign without Iliman Ndiaye, who signed for Marseille for a reported £20million, but the club splashed the cash to strengthen Paul Heckingbottom's squad.

Cameron Archer, Gus Hamer and Vini Souza were among the big signings the South Yorkshire club made, with the trio experiencing differing fortunes at Bramall Lane.

However, there was one man who arrived at Sheffield United for £3.9million who endured a rather forgettable spell at the club, but should the Blades have regret after his most recent move?

Benie Traore endured woeful stint at Sheffield United

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Many Sheffield United supporters may understandably question who Benie Traore is given his lack of impact at Bramall Lane, but the winger has been thriving since leaving South Yorkshire.

Traore was one of a host of players to join the Blades after their promotion to the Premier League, signing from Swedish side BK Hacken after scoring 12 goals in 14 league games.

The Ivorian slotted straight into Heckingbottom's side on the right wing for the Blades' opener against Crystal Palace before playing as a second striker and attacking midfielder over the next two games.

However, the winger was not to start another match and was regularly benched, playing a total of 385 minutes in the league before the New Year.

Deemed surplus to requirements, Traore was sent out on loan to Ligue 1 side FC Nantes at the start of the winter window, where he made 15 appearances without scoring a goal.

The Ivory Coast international was then sold to Swiss outfit FC Basel the following summer, having made just nine appearances for Sheffield United in all competitions, but should the club have let him go?

Traore seals New York City move after FC Basel renaissance

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New York City FC have confirmed the signing of Traore from FC Basel on a four-year deal after the 23-year-old's consistent form in Switzerland.

It did not take the Ivorian long to make his mark for the Swiss giants following his switch from South Yorkshire, scoring 14 and assisting 10 in his first season with the club.

The winger was rated highly across a number of metrics in the 2024/25 Super League campaign, ranking in the top five percent of players in his position for assists, xG on target and non-penalty xG, according to Fotmob.

While he did not hit the same heights last term, he still produced some admirable numbers, with 11 goals and five assists in two fewer appearances.

With Sheffield United set to embark on their third straight Championship season, there is reason to believe that Traore could have made his mark in the second tier, as his explosive pace and dribbling ability would have caused defenders all sorts of problems.