Sheffield United fail with £12m bid for Bournemouth's Aaron Ramsdale
Sheffield United have had a £12m bid to re-sign the goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale rejected by Bournemouth.
Chris Wilder is a big admirer of Ramsdale and believes the 22-year-old could fill the void left by Dean Henderson, who has returned to Manchester United after a second season’s loan.
Ramsdale, an England Under-21 international, joined Bournemouth from Sheffield United for £800,000 in 2017 and, after an impressive loan with AFC Wimbledon in League One last season, has blossomed into one of the country’s most exciting goalkeeping prospects. Bournemouth are reluctant to lose Ramsdale, arguably their player of the season as they were relegated to the Championship.
The bid is some way off Bournemouth’s valuation, with the club adamant they do not need to sell on the cheap. Jordan Pickford joined Everton following relegation with Sunderland for an initial £25m. Nathan Aké left
Bournemouth for Manchester City in a £41m deal this week, and Callum Wilson and Joshua King are likely to depart.
Jason Tindall, Eddie Howe’s longtime assistant, is expected to be appointed as the club’s manager following Howe’s departure.Wilder had been hopeful of Henderson returning to Bramall Lane for a third loan spell but a move for Ramsdale suggests they are resigned to him fighting David de Gea for the No 1 shirt at Old Trafford.
Sheffield United are also keen on Ollie Watkins but Brentford will command at least £20m for the striker, who finished the season on 26 goals. They also remain in talks with Reading over the midfield playmaker John Swift and Nottingham Forest regarding the versatile full-back Matty Cash, who is also of interest to Southampton and West Ham.