Why Sheffield United should beat Cardiff City to sign Will Vaulks
According to the Daily Mail, Rotherham United midfielder Will Vaulks has attracted interest from Sheffield United and Premier League outfit Cardiff City, with a Serie A club also keen on the 25-year-old central midfielder.
The same report adds that Will Vaulks will have only one year left on his current contract after the end of the ongoing campaign and he is ready for a new challenge.
The 25-year-old has been one of the most consistent performers for Rotherham United over the last two seasons. He helped the club secure promotion to the second-tier from League One last season with his impressive performances, earning the award for the player of the season in the process.
He has also done equally well in the Championship this term for a club that find themselves in a relegation dogfight at the bottom of the table, registering 5 goals and 4 assists from 30 appearances.
Will Vaulks is a tactically versatile midfielder who is comfortable in central and defensive roles in the middle of the park, while he has also been used as a makeshift centre-back at times.
Comfortable in possession and strong on the tackle, the 25-year-old not only has the ability to dictate the tempo of the game with his range of passing but he is equally adept at cutting out the attacks with crucial tackles and interceptions. To add to that, he is also very strong in the air and he does not hesitate to put his foot through the ball from outside the box.
The midfielder averages 2.4 tackles, 1.8 interceptions, 2.7 clearances, 1.3 key passes, 4.4 aerial duels and 4.2 long balls per game in the Championship this season, figures which speak volumes of his well-rounded abilities.
To put things into perspective, Vaulks would be a welcome addition for Sheffield United in the summer. The Blades have enjoyed a successful season in the Championship under Chris Wilder and they currently sit 3rd in the standings, just three points adrift of second-placed Leeds United.
Someone like Vaulks has shown enough promise for a struggling side and he certainly has all that it takes to make an impact at a bigger club. The Blades have struck gold with the signing of Oliver Norwood in a permanent deal in the January transfer window but they should not hesitate to bolster their central midfield options even more by snapping up Vaulks.
John Fleck and Norwood have formed a stable partnership for Sheffield United at the base of the midfield this term but the Blades can certainly do with more quality in their ranks, with Paul Coutts on the other side of 30 and Ryan Leonard deemed surplus to requirements.
That said, Sheffield should follow up their interest next summer and table a bid to land the 25-year-old.
