Nottingham Forest have been linked with a move for Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp this month.
The 33-year-old striker has only made one start in the Premier League for the Blades this season. This has led to speculation about his future, with a handful of Championship sides, including the Reds, said to be interested.
The Daily Star reported on Tuesday that the ex-Red has snubbed loan offers from both Forest and Celtic. Sharp is understood to be keen on fighting for his place at Bramall Lane.
Sharp played a key role in helping the Blades secure promotion to the top flight last season. He scored 23 goals in 40 appearances in the Championship.
However, the Blades bolstered their attacking options in the summer which has seen Sharp fall down the pecking order. The likes of Lys Mousset, David McGoldrick, Oli McBurnie and Callum Robinson have kept him out of the side.
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It’s therefore surprising that the striker hasn’t jumped at the opportunity for first-team football elsewhere.
Sharp has a good relationship with his manager Chris Wilder, and Wilder insists that it remains the striker’s decision on whether or not he wants to leave this month.
He told the Sheffield Star: “If I was in the Championship and needed someone to give us a boost in January and score us some goals between now and the end of the season and saw that Bill Sharp wasn’t playing at Sheffield United then I would be asking the question.
“Always the decision is with Billy. Obviously from an individual point of view, Billy is disappointed he’s not playing. The decision is with him and if he comes to me and says he needs to be playing then I will respect that.”
The Blades have a number of important games coming up in the Premier League. They are back in action against West Ham United tomorrow night at Bramall Lane.
If the £12,000-a-week (Spotrac) striker continues to struggle to get himself back in the team, he may opt to change his stance on moving away this month.
If so, the Reds will need to be ready to pounce.