Sheffield United get their biggest Gus Hamer hint yet with £13m transfer sealed

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Even the most confident, optimistic Sheffield United supporter may have reservations about counting their chickens as deadline day approaches for Gus Hamer and the Blades.

Despite a summer of intense speculation – another one – the reigning Championship Player of the Year is still at Bramall Lane.

While positives have been few and far between during a dreadful start to the Ruben Selles era, the continued presence of Gustavo Hamer is certainly that.

Chief football correspondent Graeme Bailey told EFL Analysis a few days ago that Sheffield United now have a ‘good chance’ of keeping Hamer beyond the September deadline.

Brentford, Fulham and Leeds United are all big fans of the Brazil-born former Netherlands youth star. But Premier League bids have been in surprisingly short supply.

So much so that the biggest danger facing Sheffield United right here, right now, appears to come not from England’s top flight but from the Dutch Eredivisie in the shape of PSV Eindhoven.

Gustavo Hamer to PSV rumours can be put to bed in big Sheffield United boost

The Star reported this week that a return to the Netherlands may still be ‘incredibly appealing’ for a man who made his debut at Feyenoord before going on to represent Dordrecht and PEC Zwolle before arriving in England with Coventry City half-a-decade ago.

Dutch reporter Rik Elfrink also reported that PSV Eindhoven are indeed admirers of Gustavo Hamer.

Sheffield United’s talismanic number eight was one of those included on a shortlist of potential Malik Tillman replacements after the former Rangers loanee secured a big-money switch to Bayer Leverkusen.

A shortlist which also included Corinthians’ Breno Biden, Anderlecht’s Mario Stroeykens and another silky playmaker who rose through the Bayern Munich ranks like Tillman; Paul Wanner.

And on Friday afternoon, as Ruben Selles welcomed Nils Zatterstrom and Ben Godfrey to Bramall Lane, PSV officially filled a Tillman-shaped void with the £13 million signing of the aforementioned Wanner.

Does Wanner’s arrival at the Philips Stadium draw a line through PSV’s long-running pursuit of Hamer? Given that they share many of the same attributes, and fulfil many of the same duties from an attacking midfield role, a concerned Sheffield United fanbase can seemingly sleep that little bit easier despite the prospect of a third straight Championship defeat against Millwall.

“Paul is a creative, dynamic, attacking and modern midfielder,” PSV’s Director of Football Affairs Earnest Stewart says of Wanner, who will wear the number ten shirt vacated by Tillman.

“Paul is a very welcome reinforcement for PSV, which we are very happy with. We see a wonderful future for him in Eindhoven, both sporting and personal.”

Ruben Selles wants to keep Sydie Peck and Michael Cooper as well as Hamer

Amid all the frustration following successive defeats by Bristol City, Birmingham and Swansea, Sheffield United’s squad is finally starting to take shape.

Former Norwich City captain and one-time Everton utility man Godfrey could make his debut against Millwall.

Zatterstrom follows in the footsteps of Anel Ahmedhodzic, meanwhile. Another Malmo-born, six-foot-something central defender, and a much-needed left-sided option in Selles’ revamped backline.

Selles has not ruled out Jack Robinson leaving for Wrexham, though the ex-Hull City coach is as determined as ever to retain not only Gus Hamer but also the likes of Sydie Peck and Michael Cooper as they hope to exercise the ghosts of last season’s Wembley heartbreak.

“The target is not to sell anyone,” Selles insists. “That is the idea and that is what we want. As I said in the very beginning, that is the target, that’s what we want. But I will never say never because there are some situations, especially in the last days of the window.

“Sometimes the price goes extremely up and, if you have a good plan or cover, you can make it [happen, but] the idea is to keep almost every player who is playing for us right now.”