Why Sheffield United signing Emmanuel Dennis will be a good move

As per a report from La Dernière Heure (h/t Yorkshire Live), Club Brugge manager Philippe Clement has admitted that striker Emmanuel Dennis, who is a target for Sheffield United, will be leaving the club this summer.

The Blades had a bid rejected for the 22-year-old last summer. But they are interested in signing him once again this year. And now, Clement has claimed that the striker will be on the move, handing them a boost. (h/t Yorkshire Live)

Dennis started out the academy of Nigerian club Abuja before moving to Ukrainian outfit Zorya Luhansk in 2016. He spent just one year at the club, scoring six goals in 26 matches, before joining Club Brugge in the summer of 2017. Since joining the Belgian outfit, the 22-year-old has made 103 appearances, scoring 28 goals and assisting 10.

Sheffield United’s misfiring centre-forward department

The Blades’ campaign has been built on the back of solid defensive performances. Chris Wilder’s side boast of the second-best defensive record in the Premier League. However, for them to build on this success, the attacking contingent needs to be strengthened in the summer. Sheffield United have scored just 30 goals this season. Only four teams have scored fewer than the Blades.

Wilder has six centre-forwards at his disposal currently. Amongst them are a 34-year-old Billy Sharp and a 35-year-old Leon Clarke, both of whom are in the final phase of their careers. In addition, the latter’s contract is expiring at the end of the season.

Apart from them, summer signings Oli McBurnie and Lys Mousset haven’t been able to make the desired impact, scoring four and five league goals respectively so far in 2019/20. The 32-year-old David McGoldrick is yet to score in the league, while Richairo Zivkovic, who was signed on loan in January, is yet to make a single appearance.

In total, all the centre-forwards combined have contributed just 12 Premier League goals for the Blades this season. Hence, Wilder & co. need to bolster their ranks with a new striker in the summer, especially with them staring at the prospect of European football next season.

And to that end, Emmanuel Dennis would be a viable option. The 22-year-old has been a consistent performer for Club Brugge since joining the club in 2017. Having scored 12 goals in his debut season, he managed 7 strikes in 2018/19.

He followed it up with 9 goals in the shortened 2019/20 campaign. This included a brace against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Champions League and a goal against Manchester United in the Europa League, providing evidence of his big-game pedigree.

Signing Dennis would add some much-needed firepower at the top of the attack for Sheffield United. Furthermore, the 22-year-old, valued at £22m, is a versatile operator and can slot in on either flank and play as a wing-back as well. This would only add to the options at Wilder’s disposal.

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Verdict

Sheffield United are in need of urgent reinforcements in the attack, given the misfiring nature of the strikers currently in the squad. And hence, signing Dennis would be a smart move by Wilder. The 22-year-old would add more quality and depth to the ranks. If he manages to carry his current form forward, he would prove to be a fine acquisition.