Why Sheffield United should consider Lewis Morgan swoop in January

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Sheffield United have been monitoring Inter Miami winger Lewis Morgan with a view to a potential swoop in the January transfer window.

However, the Blades are expected to face stiff competition from EFL Championship duo Reading and Nottingham Forest in their pursuit of the 24-year-old. The former Celtic star has also attracted interest from French clubs Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice and Rennes after impressing for David Beckham’s franchise in the Major League Soccer this past season. (h/t Daily Mail)

As per the report, Inter Miami ideally wouldn’t want to part ways with the winger, who still has two years remaining on his contract. However, they could consider offers in the region of £2million for the Scottish international after he finished the 2020 season with 5 goals and 5 assists in 24 appearances. 

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Morgan started his career at St.Mirren, featuring largely in the Scottish Championship before earning a move to the top-flight with Celtic in January 2018. He was loaned back to his former club for the second half of the 2017-18 campaign and helped the Saints secure promotion.

On his return to Parkhead, however, Morgan found regular minutes hard to come by due to stiff competition for places. 

The 24-year-old made only 13 appearances in all competitions in 2018-19 before being loaned out to Sunderland in EFL League One in January 2019. After continuing to struggle for playtime at Celtic in the following campaign, Morgan was eventually sold to Inter Miami last year.

The 2-cap Scottish international has grabbed his opportunities with both hands in the United States, earning rave reviews for his tireless pressing, work rate and goal contributions in his debut season. His exploits in the MLS has prompted several clubs to offer him a route back to Europe, with Sheffield United also in the mix.

Sheffield United need reinforcements

The Blades are rock-bottom of the standings with just 5 points from 18 games so far. United’s season is certainly not beyond repair but it will require a herculean effort from Chris Wilder’s side to overturn what has been an absolutely shocking first half of the campaign. 

Having said that, Sheffield United will surely need to improve on their tally of just 9 goals scored in 18 games. A potential swoop for Lewis Morgan, to that end, would represent a smart piece of business for the goal-shy Blades this month. 

The Scottish winger has excelled in the United States and while the Premier League is still a massive step-up, United should be aware of his potential.

The likes of Oliver McBurnie, Lys Mousset, Oliver Burke and Rhian Brewster have all struggled to make an impact at Bramall Lane this season. That makes Morgan worth a punt for the club in the January window.

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Verdict

Sheffield United clearly don’t have the financial resources to buy their way out of trouble in the mid-season trading period. Having spent quite a lot over the past 18 months, the Blades should now look for some cost-effective signings this month to resurrect their campaign.

A deal for Lewis Morgan certainly won’t guarantee safety in the Premier League but with his best years still potentially ahead of him, the Yorkshire outfit should grab the opportunity to snap him up.