A number of clubs are reconsidering a move for Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge this summer.
What's the talk?
That's according to a report by Football League World, who claimed that Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Napoli are all concerned about the midfielder's injury history ahead of a potential move for the 23-year-old in the summer transfer window.
It is reported that, with the Blades' demanding a fee of £35m in order to part with the Norway international, the interested parties hold some reservations about spending such a large sum on a player who suffered a significant injury last season.
Fans should be buzzing
Considering just how impressive Berge has been since joining Sheffield United from KRC Genk back in January 2020, reports that the clubs interested in signing the midfielder are having doubts about making a move this summer should be music to the ears of Sheffield United fans.
With Slavisa Jokanovic hoping to secure an immediate return to the Premier League with the Blades next year, keeping hold of the £16.2m-rated gem would seem to significantly increase the Serbian's chances of going on to achieve this feat, as it is not hard to imagine Berge thriving for United in the Championship.
Indeed, while last season saw the 23-year-old spend long spells on the sidelines due to his aforementioned injury, the £38,000-per-week Norwegian proved in his first few months at the club just how impressive a footballer he is.
The defensive midfielder made 14 Premier League appearances in the club's 2019/20 campaign, in which he scored one goal, registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates.
The former Genk man also averaged 0.7 interceptions and 1.6 tackles and won 5.5 duels per game that season, with his metrics culminating to earn him a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as United's seventh-best performer in the top flight.
As such, it is an easy argument to make that, all being well with his fitness, Berge should easily better these already impressive statistics after dropping down a division with Sheffield United, with the player whom Chris Wilder dubbed a "complete midfielder" very much having the potential to be a key man in a hopeful promotion push for the Blades next season.
In other news: Get it done: Jokanovic must sanction Sheff Utd swoop for 21 y/o with a "huge future"