Sheffield United join Leeds United in transfer chase for Nottingham Forest man | OneFootball

The Blades are rivalling their Championship promotion rivals for Andrew Omobamidele

Sheffield United are set to rival fellow promotion hopefuls Leeds United for the services of Nottingham Forest centre-back Andrew Omobamidele this month, according to new reports.

Omobamidele has been out-of-favour at the City Ground this season, amid Forest's impressive Premier League form under Nuno Espírito Santo, and so looks set to leave on an initial loan in the next few weeks as a result.

The Blades are currently in the market for an addition at the heart of their backline, after Harry Souttar's achilles injury was confirmed to be season-ending last week, and so the 22-year-old is now on their radar, alongside Championship table-toppers and local rivals Leeds, who are also seeking defensive reinforcements.

Sheffield United add Andrew Omobamidele to list of January targets

The Star have reported that United could go head-to-head with Leeds in this window if they firm up their interest in Forest centre-back Omobamidele, and that the 22-year-old is a player on Chris Wilder's long list of targets this month following the crushing Souttar blow.

However, the Star also claim that the Blades are focusing their initial search on forward areas, so Leeds could possibly steal a march on their close competitors, after transfer journalist Alan Nixon recently revealed their interest in the Republic of Ireland international.

Nixon states that the Whites have opened talks about a deal that could be a loan with a guaranteed buy for Omobamidele, while Forest hope to raise £10 million from selling the out-of-favour defender.

He has also spoken on Sheffield United's interest, and claims that they are among the other clubs looking at the centre-back, but would prefer a traditional loan arrangement rather than a deal with a set transfer fee after the initial loan is finished.

Chris Wilder has hinted at transfer activity after Souttar's injury

The Blades currently sit third in the Championship, just a point behind table-toppers Leeds, and Australian international Souttar played a pivotal role in their promotion push prior to his serious injury, so it is clear that the club need to move relatively quickly to bring in a replacement.

Boss Chris Wilder revealed last week that the club would work together to identify possible replacements, especially given that he only has Anel Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson as his only senior, out-and-out options in that position as it stands.

He said: "We've had conversations about after the 27th of December and they are ongoing positive conversations with the owners to sensibly help the group, and the supporters, in terms of having a strong second half of the season.

"I like the chemistry of the group, but players need resting."

Andrew Omobamidele would be a smart signing for Sheffield United

It looks as if Omobamidele has been identified as a possible signing to add cover to their defensive ranks, but they will clearly need to act fast given fellow Yorkshire outfit Leeds' interest in his services.

Omobamidele has previously shone in the second-tier at Norwich City, where he was handed his senior debut by Whites boss Daniel Farke, and his strong form saw him earn an £11m move to Forest in the summer of 2023.

He signed a five-year deal at the City Ground, but has found first-team football hard to come by since his switch, with only 15 appearances for the Reds in the last 18 months, and just the one EFL Cup outing so far this term.

The 22-year-old certainly looks to be on his way out of the East Midlands this month, and Sheffield United will hope to seal a deal ahead of Leeds, but may well need to move quickly and change their stance on the loan-to-buy deal to stand themselves in the best stead of making the signing.