Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit tips Sheffield United's Gus Hamer for Everton FC on one condition - It "ticks all the boxes" | OneFootball

Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie spoke exclusively to Football League World about Gus Hamer's Sheffield United future amid reported interest from Everton

Sheffield United will be bidding to gain promotion through the play-offs and secure an immediate Premier League return under Chris Wilder after missing out on a top-two spot behind Leeds United and Burnley.

Despite having been dealt a two-point deduction before a ball was kicked, the Blades spent almost the entirety of the 2024/25 Championship campaign firmly in the automatic promotion reckoning and, at one stage, appeared poised to force one of either Leeds or Burnley to a place in the play-offs.

However, three defeats from five across April, including the 2-1 loss at Burnley which guaranteed automatic promotion for both the Clarets and rivals Leeds, saw United's top-two hopes dissipate as they were left to settle for a third-placed finish.

Wilder's side represent the strongest side in the play-offs by a considerable distance and will fancy their chances of going all the way and returning to the Premier League at the first attempt later this month. But, if they fail to win the play-offs, there will likely be real concern about prized assets being snatched away from Bramall Lane this summer.

One player who is already the subject of reported interest is influential playmaker Gus Hamer, who has found himself on Everton's shortlist according to a recent claim by TEAMtalk.

Everton's reported interest in Hamer comes amid uncertainty surrounding the future of Abdoulaye Doucoure, as it remains unclear whether the Toffees will offer the 32-year-old attacking midfielder a new contract with his current deal approaching its conclusion.

Hamer, who joined the Blades in the summer of 2023 from Coventry City, was a bright spark last term despite their relegation from the Premier League and showcased his ability to mix it at the highest level with four goals and six assists.

The Brazilian-born Dutchman has been vital for United this term. No player at the club has more combined goals and assists in 24/25 than Hamer, who was recently named as the Championship's official Player of the Season, and it would perhaps be no surprise to see him move on if his side fall short of achieving promotion.

Lee Hendrie tips Sheffield United's Gus Hamer to join Everton on promotion condition

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has tipped Hamer to join the Toffees this summer if another season in the Championship awaits for Sheffield United.

Hendrie believes that a move to Merseyside would "tick all the boxes" for Hamer, who he has predicted will garner interest from a number of Premier League clubs dependent on the outcome of United's promotion bid.

"Gus Hamer is reported to be one of the players on Everton's radar this summer," Hendrie told FLW.

"If Sheffield United don't go up, surely he will leave.

"The problem is that Doucoure is out of contract and it hasn't been renewed. I do feel that he will be one of those players that, if Sheffield United don't get promotion, he's going to be linked with teams that are in and around that bottom-half.

"Everton have got bags of potential and what Moyes has done is quite phenomenal to steer them clear of that [relegation]. I think they do need players that can give them that little bit more identity and quality and, if Sheffield United don't go up, I would not be surprised in the slightest if he ended up going to Everton because it's a club that has got itself stable and could end up turning a bit of a corner with the new stadium.

"I think it ticks all the boxes if they don't go [up]."

Sheffield United's Gus Hamer is too good for the Championship amid Everton links

Top-flight interest offers little in the way of shock, as it's clear for all to see that Hamer is simply a class or two above English football's second-tier.

The 27-year-old is technically-sublime and, at this level, offers unparalleled creativity and ingenuity in the final third.

He's capable of driving forward at pace, beating his man, threading the needle, breaking lines and scoring from all sorts of positions, making him the perfect all-round attacking midfielder - or winger, even, with Wilder fielding him wide-right for much of the campaign - for Everton to pursue this summer.

He has already showcased his ability to transition those qualities to the highest level but has arguably improved even more this season, and will surely not be spending another season in the Championship. Whether United are remains to be seen for the time being as they prepare for the play-offs, though Hamer feels likely to be a top-flight player either way next season.