Sheffield United face Sander Berge transfer battle amid Burnley interest

Fresh from the sale of Iliman Ndiaye to Marseille earlier this month boss Paul Heckingbottom will be loathe to lose another of his key players, especially with the start of the new season only five days away.

Burnley are long-time admirers of the Norwegian international and are looking to exploit his contract status to wrap up a deal this summer. Berge, United’s former record signing when he arrived in a £22m deal from Genk in 2020, is out of contract next summer and United are understood not to have an option in his contract to extend it by a further season, meaning he could sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club as soon as January.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reported today that Burnley were closing in on Berge, at a time when United are desperate to recruit midfielders rather than sell them. Tommy Doyle has still not been replaced from last season while John Fleck is injured.

United are known to be keen on a deal for Lommel’s Vinicius Souza who, in a typical quirk of transfer window activity, has also been linked with Burnley.

Losing Berge would be a significant blow to United’s Premier League campaign but risk losing him for nothing next summer. The player has shown little appetite to extend his United career by signing a new contract and was previously expected to leave as a free agent next summer.