How Leeds United chiefs felt about signing Sheffield United's Gus Hamer for £20m after £13m rejection — Football League World 22/4/25
By Ben Wignall
Leeds United were not prepared to meet Sheffield United's
£20 million asking price for Gustavo Hamer last summer because the hierarchy at
Elland Road did not feel that it represented value for money.
The Whites have gotten the better of their Yorkshire
counterparts in the automatic promotion race, but it could have potentially
been sealed much earlier had they gotten their way in the transfer market by
landing Hamer.
As it happened, a deal never ended up materialising, but it
can hardly be argued that the Dutch maestro wouldn't have made Daniel Farke's
starting 11 a lot better on the face of it.
In the latter stages of the transfer window in August 2024,
it became apparent that Leeds wanted to raid their Championship rivals
Sheffield United for who many would perceive to be their star man in the form
of Hamer.
With 10 goal contributions to his name in the Premier League
in what was a struggling Blades side, it was a surprise that no top flight
clubs in England or Europe took a punt on Hamer, especially when it emerged
that he had a release clause in his contract due to the Blades' relegation.
By the time that Leeds' interest in Hamer came around
though, that clause had expired, as per The Athletic, and with Georginio Rutter
sold to Brighton & Hove Albion, United were keen on landing a top, creative
player to add to their current attacking talents.
With the clause no longer valid, Leeds put in their £13
million offer for Hamer, which was flat out turned down by those in charge at
Bramall Lane, but the feelings were that a bid in the region of £20 million may
have been enough to see them enter contract talks for the 27-year-old.
However, as revealed in The Athletic's report, senior members of Leeds' hierarchy did not believe that Hamer was worth that kind of transfer outlay, leaving him to carry on his Sheffield United journey, and leaving Daniel Farke with only Brenden Aaronson as a natural number 10.
Whilst Leeds' transfer committee had every right to think
that Hamer was not worth the £20 million that could have gotten a deal over the
line, the mercurial Dutchman has somewhat proven that he's a level above the
Championship this season.
Chris Wilder found a new role for Hamer at Bramall Lane as
more of an inside left-winger, and with 16 goal contributions to his name, he
has certainly been the star of the show.
Aaronson hasn't performed consistently well for Leeds this
season in the 10 role, although he has chipped in with nine goals in the
league, but you have to wonder what Hamer's numbers would have been like if he
were snapped up in the end.
Such is the talent of Sheffield United's number eight, he
could feasibly be a transfer target once more this summer upon Leeds' return to
England's upper echelons, - although they may have their sights set higher now,
Hamer is still more-than capable of making a difference at Elland Road.