Sheffield United should 'take a chance' on Brighton player - but Louie Barry transfer warning sent | OneFootball

Chris Wilder has been urged to take Sheffield United action in 2026/27 which involves a Bolton Wanderers player.

There is no escaping the scale of the task facing Sheffield United and Chris Wilder this summer, with plenty of incoming and outgoing transfers to be expected.

After falling short in the 2025 play-off final against Sunderland and drifting towards a mid-table finish in 2025/26, the landscape is about to shift significantly at Bramall Lane. The biggest factor for Sheffield United is financial.

With parachute payments ending this season and nothing like that to fall back on in 2026/27, Wilder and the recruitment team will have to operate far more carefully. That reality alone suggests there will be at least a partial exodus, with some higher earners and key assets likely to move on to balance the books.

This does not necessarily mean a complete overhaul, but it will require smart and targeted decision-making. Loans could once again prove vital, particularly with several parachute-backed clubs expected to dominate the market and promotion race.

For Sheffield United, the challenge is clear - remain competitive without the same financial muscle. That is easier said than done, but standing still is not an option for a fanbase who will expect to compete once again.

Sheffield United urged to sign Brighton and Hove Albion's Amario Cozier-Duberry

Things have improved since Wilder's reappointment and supporters will demand more of that after this season’s drop-off from a bad start under Ruben Selles, and Wilder must find a way to rebuild a squad capable of pushing towards the top end once again.

It has been reported that the Blades are among a number of Championship clubs interested in the Brighton & Hove Albion winger Amario Cozier-Duberry, who's been tearing things up in League One with Bolton Wanderers.

He's had a loan with Blackburn Rovers at this level before but could perhaps be of interest to Sheffield United again. We asked FLW's Sheffield United fan pundit Jimmy, from the YouTube channel Blades Ramble, if they should renew interest or cool off the interest given his form and injury situation in the second half of season.

He responded: "I think, if we are going to be sticking with this system, we need to be looking at young and pacy forwards like Cozier-Duberry.

"I was really pleased that we were linked with him. Obviously, he's tapered off in the second half of the season, but I think there's definitely a player in there.

"So, if he's available, he's one that I would be interested in. Can he make the step up? Because Louie Barry was a very good player in League One last season and couldn't transfer that form into the Championship this year.

"And just didn't make an impact at Championship level, so you're not going to know until he arrives whether he's a Louie Barry or a successful player that can make the step up through the leagues.

"So I think he's certainly a player worth taking a chance on and I'd be up for him coming in over the summer."

Andre Brooks might mean Sheffield United don't need Amario Cozier-Duberry

Bolton will hope that Cozier-Duberry could be vital in the play-offs, such is the gap to the top two and with automatic promotion out of reach. He is due back from tearing knee ligaments in the coming month now.

Prior to that, he was very much on for a Player of the Season award in League One. The 20-year-old would have at least been in the conversation after scoring six and assisting a further nine in 28 league matches for Bolton.

There is a growing sense that Cozier-Duberry is not far away from making a real impact at a higher level now. He is technically sharp, fearless in one-vs-one situations, and blessed with real attacking instinct. He has all the tools to develop into a high-level winger.

However, potential alone is not enough — he now needs consistent, competitive minutes in the second tier and not League One. That is why another crack at the Championship on loan feels essential.

The question is whether Sheffield United are the right club. Regular game time there could accelerate his development and bring him closer to Brighton’s first-team picture, but Andre Brooks is a left-footed winger of a similar age and he prefers to play on the right.

Having both could be exciting but can they both fit into the same side? It's a consideration for Brighton this summer about where best fits the youngster, who doesn't need a player blocking his pathway into first-team minutes.