How Gus Hamer celebrated Coventry City’s promotion amid Sheffield United exit talk | OneFootball

The Sheffield United midfielder was pictured enjoying his former side's promotion over the weekend

Coventry City's promotion back to the Premier League is 25 years in the making, and they've had some close calls in the past few years.

The Sky Blues had failed in their top-flight pursuit via the play-offs in two of the three seasons preceding their title triumph this term, and the campaign in the middle of that would have likely ended in a late top-six surge if not for an FA Cup run which saw them agonisingly knocked out on penalties in the semi-final against Manchester United.

Therefore, a lot of players who have worn the Coventry shirt in the past four or five years will feel as if they have contributed in some way to where they are today.

Gus Hamer is easily one of those, having been given his breakthrough in England at the CBS Arena back in 2020, and he netted 11 times, including in the play-off final against Luton Town, in the 2022/23 campaign, where penalties stopped Mark Robins from leading Coventry to the top flight.

He would leave following that play-off heartbreak to test himself in the Premier League with Sheffield United, banking Coventry £15 million for his services, and despite spending the last three seasons in South Yorkshire, part of his heart still lies in the West Midlands.

Gus Hamer celebrated Coventry City's title win in the city over the weekend

Coventry lifted the Championship title after a victory over Wrexham in their final home game of the season. With the game being on a Sunday, it allowed Hamer to head back to his former club to celebrate their achievements.

Hamer was pictured on the Instagram Story of a restaurant in Leamington with a Coventry lanyard on, and Sky Blues fans have enjoyed rubbing that in the faces of Sheffield United fans.

"Here's a photo of your best player celebrating OUR promotion to the Premier League with a Cov lanyard on whilst you're scrambling around mid-table," one fan wrote in response to a tweet from 2024, stating that Hamer wouldn't return to Coventry after Sheffield United's imminent relegation from the top flight.

The Blades have struggled this season and will likely finish in the bottom half of the Championship, and with Hamer out of contract at the end of next season, perhaps the 28-year-old's playing future could lie back at the CBS Arena.

What Chris Wilder said about the possibility of selling Gus Hamer this summer

Hamer was the Championship's Player of the Season last year and has still contributed 16 goals this term, so the prospect of him signing fresh terms at Bramall Lane may be slim, especially with the possibility of a Premier League return.

It was seen at the start of this season with Anel Ahmedhodzic that Sheffield United are more likely to sell a player heading into the final year of their deal, rather than risk the possibility of them leaving for free, when he left for Feyenoord for £7 million.

With Hamer in the same situation this summer, Chris Wilder delivered a response that not many Blades fans may want to hear when asked about the possibility of selling assets this summer.

"If we have to sell a player or two, then we will do. As long as we don't give them away. That's my take on it," he said earlier this month.

"I'm OK with that, but we can't develop these players and just let them go for nothing. We can't buy players and let them go cheaply, or not at the right price for us."

So, it doesn't seem that a sale will be completely ruled out at Bramall Lane for Hamer this summer, especially with the club no longer in receipt of Premier League parachute payments and with the 28-year-old entering the final year of his deal.

Two years ago, Blades fans were happy to gloat that Hamer wouldn't be returning to the CBS Arena, but as the summer approaches, perhaps that won't be as sure fire a thing as it once was.