Sheffield United: Josh Brownhill transfer claim issued as 18-goal ex-Burnley hero remains up for grabs | OneFootball

FLW's Blades fan pundit doesn't feel that Brownhill's next move will be to Bramall Lane

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Surprisingly, despite the 2025/26 season now well underway, former Burnley captain Josh Brownhill is still without a club.

The 29-year-old midfielder was, for some, the best player in the Championship last season, captaining his Burnley side to a 100-point season and supplying 24 goal contributions along the way - 18 of those being goals.

However, he opted not to continue with the Clarets as they ventured into the Premier League, instead looking to challenge himself elsewhere.

After an incredible season in the second tier last year, the best in his career, you'd expect that a Premier League side would have been in for the midfielder, but nothing so far has come, and now people may question whether a possible return to the Championship is on the cards.

After scoring 25 and assisting 14 in his last two combined seasons in the second tier, any of the current Championship sides would be silly not to bring Brownhill in if the opportunity arose.

However, it's obvious that Brownhill can aim higher than the Championship. After all, he could have started week in, week out for Burnley in the top flight if he so wished this season. Jimmy, the host of the Blades Ramble and FLW's Sheffield United fan pundit, believes that a move for him would be unrealistic, even for last season's play-off finalists.

Sheffield United fan pundit's realistic Josh Brownhill transfer prediction

Jimmy speaks for every fan of a Championship team when he says that he'd love for Brownhill to be playing for their club this season, but admits that a move to a second-tier side is highly unlikely for the 29-year-old - even though he's yet to be snapped up by a top flight club.

"Josh Brownhill would be an amazing signing for Sheffield United," Jimmy told FLW.

"If you look at the season he'd just had at Burnley, no team in the Championship is going to turn him down, and some teams in the Premier League wouldn't either, especially on a free transfer."

Last season, Brownhill ended the season in fine form, scoring five in his last three games, including both in the 2-1 win over Sheffield United, which promoted the Clarets.

He ended the campaign with an impressive 18 goals from midfield, finishing just one behind Leeds United striker Joel Piroe, who went on to win the Golden Boot.

Clearly, his ability lies above the Championship, and Jimmy feels that a move to Sheffield United is improbable, especially given their poor start to the current campaign.

"He'll command a huge signing-on fee, which is obviously in lieu of a transfer fee," Jimmy added.

'Also, he's turned down Burnley in the Premier League, so why would he want to come to an, admittedly, struggling Sheffield United side in the Championship?

"As much as I would want him to sign, I think any prospect is out of the window, and I don't think it's a realistic signing for us.

"I'd love to be wrong, and I'd certainly take him, but I don't think it's a realistic proposition for Sheffield United."

All eyes are on Josh Brownhill's next move - big-spending Championship clubs should be on alert

It came as quite a shock when Brownhill declined the opportunity to compete once more in the Premier League with Burnley.

A potential third relegation may not have been something he wanted on the CV, but equally, he's shown he can perform well in the top flight before, and now he's coming into the new campaign off the back of the best season of his career.

The longer the season goes on, the more eyes will be on the 29-year-old to see what his next move will be.

Brownhill has a plethora of desirable qualities needed in a midfielder. He's great in both boxes, incredibly durable and is a great leader, too. Many fans of the Championship last season will be wondering how he hasn't been snapped up elsewhere yet.

But there'll be expectations that he'll land somewhere very soon, and whoever does get him will be receiving a big boost in the middle of the park.