Why Sheffield United Must Go All Out To Sign Conor Coady
Blades manager Chris Wilder has confirmed that the club have bid for Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Conor Coady. Coady did start Wolves’ opening game of the season, a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough at Molineux, but given the very different shape now incorporated by Nuno Espirito Santo means that the club could be willing to let him leave after all.
Wolves have gone through quite a transformation in the summer months and members of the ‘old’ Wolves squad must have been left worrying about their future. Those who were worrying did not seem to include Coady at first, though now Sheffield United have some encouragement and may yet land their man.
The Blades tend to play with wing-backs and so Coady’s past as a midfield player and most recent history as an attacking right-back means he would appear ideal for Chris Wilder’s formation. He has the ability in various positions and it’s this versatility, as well as undoubted Championship quality, which is drawing Wilder to him.
Wilder appears to be very knowledgeable and forward thinking, and therefore knows what could be around the corner. United beat Brentford 1-0 at Bramall Lane on their return to this division and then followed that up with another narrow home win against Walsall in the League Cup.
Those results, while representing a very positive start, will not set too many tongues wagging in the wider football world and Wilder knows that tougher games are to come. To carry on adding quality to the squad up to the transfer deadline would be something that would appear very wise indeed.
Coady has the type of quality the Blades are realistically looking to sign. Despite their top level history, players of genuine Premier League quality cannot be enticed to Brammall Lane just yet and a reliance on League One players, no matter their potential, would be a bad move too.
Clubs in this division from top to bottom tend to rely on a core of players who know the division well in order to perform at their best and it’s something newly promoted United need to ensure they have too. Merseyside-born Coady has played 113 times in the Championship for Huddersfield and Wolves, and so he certainly knows his way around at this level.
He has the experience much closer to home of course; a 50-game stint at Sheffield United when they were at League One level back in 2013/14 when on loan from Liverpool and he so should slot straight in.
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