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Sheffield United signing this 28-year-old free agent star would be a win-win for all parties

Why Sheffield United signing Jack Rodwell would be a win-win for all

According to reports of Football Insider (h/t Sheffield United News), former Everton and Manchester City man Jack Rodwell has been linked with a shock move to Sheffield United.

Rodwell has been without a club since leaving Blackburn Rovers in the summer. Daily Mail claims that AS Roma opted against signing him in the summer after their manager Paulo Fonseca was left unconvinced of his services.

In order to land in Italy, according to the Sun, Rodwell had trained for a few days with Serie A outfit Parma. Not much is known about why he did not end up playing there despite training with them. Chances of reviving his career in the Italian League fell apart.

Jack Rodwell
Jack Rodwell

He came through the ranks of Everton’s youth academy and was tipped to be a future star. Rodwell then joined Manchester City with an expectation to take his game to the next level but injures stalled his career and his progress seemed to be far from sight.

He was then sold to Sunderland where things did not work out for him and he later left for Blackburn. After playing 22 times for Rovers, Rodwell has become a free agent now.

He has also represented the England national team on three occasions, with his debut in November 2011.

Rodwell naturally plays as a defensive midfielder but he can be used as a centre-back too. He started out as a midfielder at Everton and has predominantly grown to be comfortable in his defensive duties. This is something Sheffield boss Chris Wilder can look into.

Jack Rodwell
Jack Rodwell

The 28-year old has played 166 games in the Premier League and mostly for his boyhood club Everton. His experience could be an important aspect which the Blades manager can add to the team.

Currently, Muhamed Besic is the only proper defensive midfielder available at Chris Wilder’s disposal. Besic has been out of the team for a long time due to an injury and has just played one game this season.

Rodwell can be seen as a useful addition in this position and can cover up the centre-back given his abilities on the ball and the natural midfield instincts he posses.

Jack Rodwell
Jack Rodwell

Rodwell can kick-start his career by performing as a defender, which he mostly prefers and did so successfully at Everton. Last season, he played 22 games for Blackburn Rovers and did quite well for them despite the team finishing 15th position in the Championship.

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Conclusion

Jack Rodwell would do well to move to Sheffield United and he can add depth to their squad. The 28-year-old can prove his worth in the Premier League if he overcomes his injury troubles and rediscovers his best form that he once displayed at Everton.