According to The Star, Sam McCallum, the full-back for Norwich City, is poised to join Sheffield United in the Championship on a free transfer as his current contract expires this weekend.
McCallum, who joined Norwich from Coventry City for £3.5 million in January 2020 at the age of 19, initially signed a four-and-a-half-year deal. He subsequently went on loan to Coventry City twice. During his time at Norwich, he made 52 league appearances over his final two seasons under contract with the club.
Despite playing a limited role in Norwich’s recent Championship play-off run, making 29 appearances including 16 starts, McCallum faced competition from fellow left-back Dimitros Giannoulis, who is also out of contract.
After failing to reach a new agreement with Norwich, the 23-year-old is expected to become Chris Wilder’s first signing of the summer at Sheffield United. The Blades managed to secure McCallum’s signature despite interest from other Championship clubs, including Stoke City.
Initial concerns over Sheffield United’s ability to finalize the deal amidst ongoing takeover talks have been alleviated by McCallum’s decision to join as a free agent.
Zeke Downes, a Canaries fan pundit for Football League World, expressed surprise at McCallum’s choice, having expected him to sign for Stoke City initially.
“So, I’m not sure how he ended up at Sheffield United now. It might be a risky move because I think they’re going through a bit of a decline. I can foresee them losing key players, and their squad doesn’t seem as strong as some other teams in the league. It might work out well for them, but I’m not convinced it’s the best move for him.
However, things can always turn out unexpectedly in the Championship.”
Despite the sentiment that McCallum didn’t fulfill expectations at Carrow Road, fans will still be disappointed to lose him without receiving a fee. This sentiment is compounded by the simultaneous departure of Giannoulis under similar circumstances.
Losing two players who occupy the same position without receiving any transfer fee at the same time is certainly a setback that Norwich City must address if they hope to compete for promotion to the Premier League next season.
In practical terms, Norwich should be capable of finding suitable replacements for both players. However, McCallum, in particular, was a useful squad member who could have commanded a significant fee due to his age and playing profile.
His attributes, which include providing dynamic attacking width from the wing-back position, could potentially benefit Sheffield United, potentially to the detriment of Norwich. Chris Wilder values these qualities in his players, making McCallum a valuable addition to their squad.
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