Three players who can replace Gus Hamer at Sheffield United include Bulgarian ace and Bristol City star

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The transfer window could be set for a very disappointing end for Sheffield United as Gus Hamer looks like he’s moving on, but the Blades can replace him.

When Chris Wilder left Sheffield United, it was always bound to be a summer of great transition for the Blades as Ruben Selles took charge.

The departures of Vini Souza and Anel Ahmedhodzic took away the spine of the team, but star man Gus Hamer remained.

Now, with results going awry and Selles’ system looking flawed, Hamer wants to leave and he could well join PSV Eindhoven on transfer deadline day. So, who do Sheffield United replace him with?

• READ MORE: Championship transfer recap: Wrexham bag Frank Lampard darling, El Khannouss exit, Derby sign another

Who could replace Gus Hamer at Sheffield United?

Filip Krastev

We all know plenty of Sheffield United’s summer signings have been found in the Bulgarian market this summer, even if there are doubts over the players they’ve signed.

However, they could find the perfect Hamer replacement there, in the form of Filip Krastev. The 23-year-old is a quality dribbler, has great vision, and is not afraid to put in the hard yards to work defensively for the team, too. He’s even got a bit of that fiery attitude the Blades love.

With 24 international caps to his name, Krastev has a decent pedigree. The best thing is, he would not cost the Earth. He currently plays for Lommel SK in the Belgian second tier, and could probably be signed for anywhere between £3-5m.

Benjamin Bouchouari

If United want to stick with the idea of having a Dutch playmaker in their ranks, they could swap Hamer out and bring in St. Etienne’s Benjamin Bouchouari.

Hamer is one of the best players in the Championship, and at short notice, Sheffield United will very likely have to settle for a replacement who has potential rather than being the finished article. Bouchouari fits the bill perfectly in that regard.

He is another player who is brilliant with the ball at his feet, likes to play neat, little passes, and has a penchant for a spectacular goal. Bouchouari does need to work on his tackling, but again he would only cost around £4m so it’s a very fair price to pay for a diamond in the rough.

Jason Knight

The third option for Sheffield United is a player we know a lot about. Bristol City would be loath to lose Jason Knight, but there’s no doubt that the Blades have the pulling power to draw him out.

Knight had top flight interest earlier this summer, but Bristol City have resisted that thus far. A Premier League move looks unlikely now, but he could still jump ship.

He would bring creativity, experience, leadership and a physicality to the Sheffield United team, all of which will be severely lacking if and when Hamer leaves. The only issue is the Blades may have to pay close to an eight-figure sum to snare Knight away from the Robins.

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Selling Gus Hamer is a mistake Sheffield United will live to regret

Whatever happens today, Sheffield United will surely live to regret losing Hamer. The problem is, there’s very little they can do about it.

Hamer was clearly committed to giving it another year at Bramall Lane, but after the miserable start under Selles, it’s obvious that this is not going to be a successful season for the Blades.

We know Hamer is too good for the Championship anyway, and he’s certainly too good to be fighting against relegation and being part of the ‘toxic’ environment at Sheffield United right now.

If they had sold Hamer a month ago, Sheffield United could have signed a suitable replacement. While the names we listed above are strong options, none of them really come close to the man whose boots they would be filling. Then again, very few would.