Why Sheffield United should keep their eyes off Max Lowe
According to Derbyshire Live, Derby County left-back Max Lowe has emerged as a target for Premier League high-flyers Sheffield United this summer.
As per the report, the Blades are also keen to sign Lowe’s Rams teammate Jayden Bogle to bolster their right-back department heading into the upcoming campaign.
United have so far added Aaron Ramsdale and Wes Foderingham to reshuffle their goalkeeping ranks following the departure of last season’s star loanee Dean Henderson. Manager Chris Wilder has indicated that the club are likely to confirm a few deals next week.
Profile
Born in South Normanton, Max Lowe rose through the youth ranks of Derby County and initially impressed for the U-23s in the Premier League 2 before making the step up to the first-team during the 2016-17 season in the Championship.
Lowe subsequently spent time on loan at Shrewsbury Town in League One and Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership before returning to Pride Park to establish himself as a regular starter. The 23-year-old made 29 league appearances for Phillip Cocu’s side last term, picking up one assist in the process.
The 23-year-old left-back has also represented England across various age-group levels from U-16 to U-20.
Sheffield United are already well-stocked at the back
Make no mistake, Max Lowe is a fine young talent with loads of potential, as evident from his displays for Derby County in the Championship last season. However, it wouldn’t make a lot of sense for Sheffield United to invest in a new left-back for a number of reasons.
The Blades conceded only 39 goals en route to their 9th-place finish in the Premier League last season. This was the fourth-best defensive record in the entire division behind the likes of Liverpool, Man City and Man United.
Chris Wilder received plenty of acclaim for his defensive organisation and discipline, factors that proved crucial to Sheffield United’s impressive campaign in the top-flight last time around. The wing-back pairing of Enda Stevens and George Baldock was among the best in the Premier League (as evident from their performances last season), which pretty much sums up the team’s defensive solidity.
Stevens started each of United’s 38 league fixtures on the left-hand side of the defence last term, scoring twice and registering 4 assists. Such was his consistency that Wilder barely had to call upon the likes of Jack Robinson and Ben Osborn to play in the wing-back role.
Sheffield United have Osborn and Robinson, both proven left-backs at the Championship level, to provide cover and competition for Stevens. Hence, bringing in another young and promising left-back like Max Lowe from the second-tier would only be a waste of resources.
The Blades would be better off looking at a new right-back to take the pressure off George Baldock, considering that there is no natural back-up for him in the ranks.
Verdict
With Sheffield United already having adequate cover on the left, it’s difficult to see how Max Lowe would fit into Wilder’s plans for the upcoming campaign. That’s unless, of course, the Blades end up sanctioning an exit for either Robinson or Osborn before the deadline.
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On the contrary, United can look to bring in reinforcements further up the pitch after scoring just 39 goals in the top-flight last season, which was among the worst scoring records in the entire division.
