EGAN’S SO EAGER TO TAKE STEP TO PREMIER
JOHN Egan could cost Sheffield United a pretty penny – but he’ll be worth his weight in gold if he realises his Premier League ambition at Bramall Lane.
The 25-year-old centre-half became the Blades’ record signing when he moved to South Yorkshire from Brentford this summer and his fee is reportedly set to surpass the £4m mark should United seal promotion during his current fouryear contract.
The Republic of Ireland international says that securing a route to the top flight is his main goal as a Blade and he believes that Chris Wilder has the talent to take United up from the Championship.
“My ambition is to get to the Premier League. I wouldn’t have come if that didn’t match the club and manager’s ambitions,” said the Cork native.
“For most players in the Championship, that’s their ambition too – I am no different to them.
“You have to take each game as it comes in this league because it changes so fast.
“Our belief is that we want to be up at the top end of the table all season. To do that, we have to keep winning games.”
The Blades got their man in the summer, shelling out a free that beat the £3.5m paid for striker James Beattie in 2007.
The price tag carries little weight for the man himself, however.
Egan said: “I haven’t (felt any pressure) from the fee. You come to a football club as a player, to do a job, no matter what the club has paid.
“You come in, train to play well, and play. You just go out and give 100 per cent for the team, manager and football club.
“I think I have improved already since I came here.
“The manager and Knilly (assistant Alan Knill); I have learned a lot from them and got better.”