Make that 8
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Ruled out through injury. Coleman also out. Are O'Shea and Omobamidele injured? Haven't made a squad for their club since the last international break.
Opportunities for some of many young centre-backs.
O'Shea played cup game for Burnley last week and scored so its just a case of him not being picked I think, which is massively concerning.
Omobamidele is strange too, Forest signing so many players doesnt help but when you spend 20 Million on a player you'd expect him to be on bench at least. His grandfather did pass away recently so I wonder if that has affected him.
Perhaps we need a new manager ~ To freshen up the set-up.
It probably doesn't do much for the squad, when all the players know that Kenny is just punching the days at this stage.
Egan won't be back in action for a while yet. One wonders if Sheffield Utd would have picked up a few more points if he had not suufered such a serious injury.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/foot...ry/ar-AA1kQTbp
Egan is out of contract this summer and has been injured since the end of last September. Manager Chris Wilder, with relegation likely, has been frank in recent comments: "It's going to be tight, but we've had (Egan) down to hopefully come back before the end of the season....if he makes the strides and the speed of recovery he is at the moment, you never know, going into the final two or three games...(But) I've said to the board we definitely need players that are available, whatever division we're in and through that, you have to make decisions on players and we have to make sure that we get it right as well.....we have to make sure that John gets back to full fitness and that is not just an emotional signing, because of what he's done in the past."
Sheffield United boss's warning to out-of-contract stars amid John Egan injury timescale hope (thestar.co.uk)
Egan wasn't playing well for a good few months before the injury. Even when Sheffield United were going well in the Championship last season his form was patchy. As a free agent he might offer an option as squad cover for a mid table team or maybe a rotation player for a newly promoted side but that's probably about his ceiling I'd say.
Egan began "early, early rehabilitation" on grass on 28 March, but manager Wilder thought it unlikely that the centre-half would play again this season. Wilder bemoaned the loss of Egan and Basham for most of the season, because of their experience and importance to the team. (Sheffield Star, 28 March)
A real shame for Egan that his return to the Premier League has only amounted to six games. Especially as there's every chance that he won't get back to this level again. Think he's a free agent this summer, so he might interest a newly promoted team, or maybe someone else looking for a squad defender. But not having played much this season could hurt his chances there too.
It feels like he should have played more top division football in his career than he has, Nathan Collins will likely have already played more Premier League games than Egan by the end of this season, and he's only 22.
Released by Sheffield United
https://www.premierleague.com/news/4030596
Jeff Hendrick on the list too
Another player who put his loyalty to his club ahead of his own career development.
Sadly as expected when it came down to it Sheffield United wouldn't show him the same level of loyalty.
From the premier league site: "Please note players who will be signified as a "free transfer" or "released" will have their contracts expire on 30 June 2024 however could still remain at that club for the 2024/25 season if a new contract is entered into, so this list should not be seen as definitive for players leaving their club."
Is it not the case that the players listed under free transfer are merely out of contract? Jonny Evans is on the list, for example, but the BBC report that he's in talks around a new Man United contract.
He's down as "Free transfer (ongoing discussions)" on their site alright, so I think you're spot on.
Randolph has definitely left Bournemouth, and I presume Hendrick is leaving Newcastle, though their site doesn't mention it yet.
Strange list format from the Premier League though.
I'm sure that is exactly what happened here. Egan was let go by Sunderland as a young player so I' would imagine he learned how football loyalty worked at that stage https://m.independent.ie/regionals/h.../30248808.html
I have a pal who is from Sheffield and a blades fan, and he has been under the impression that Egan was leaving on a free at the end of the season for at least the last 6 months. Seemed to be fairly common knowledge that he wanted to try something new. Unlucky he got such a serious injury because he stood to make a fine signing on fee somewhere, but I'm sure he's still going to have decent offers.
Egan will be in demand - he's a good player
would be a good signing for someone like luton who were defensively weak last season and now have the parachute payments from relegation so will be strengthening for sure.
leeds / boro / sunderland could also use him. i do think it will most likely be a championship team rather than PL, unless he fancies something like the MLS.
Stephen Kenny said a few years back that Egan should be playing in the Champions League, maybe he'll fancy testing that theory with someone like Celtic...
Kenny was some spoofer when you look back at various comments he made. Hadn't a clue about top level football the poor man.
He was so disrespectful to previous managers which is such a terrible quality to see in an individual. He totally manipulated the fai through the media forcing the absurd deal where he took over from Mccarthy and using clowns in the media like molloy off newstalk to sell the story that he was this great tactician who woukd do all this cutting edge set play work on the training ground and would allow players to play the beautiful game.
With a bit more pace ~ I would say that John Egan would be a regular starter in the premier league.
It's an interesting one in terms of perceptions. Egan is a good player, but he will be 32 in a few months and has only actually played two full seasons in the Premier League. Other than that he's had five seasons in the Championship, two in League One, one in League Two. As long as he avoids injuries, he could well have another few years in the PL though.
Would he get a game at somewhere like Ipswich maybe? Not sure he'd fit what McKenna might be looking for. Could see him at Middlesbrough or somewhere like that. I don't think he was at the level just before his injury that he was at when he had the two back to back Premier League seasons at Sheffield United. He has been prone to mistakes playing for Ireland as well, but part of that could be down to poor team setup by management leaving him exposed. Might end up signing on again with Sheffield United if there's not much else on offer out there for him.
I was thinking Southampton might be a decent shout for him. They are not great defensively and someone with a bit of experience might suit them. Egan is a good player still I think, but even if he doesnt play a huge amount he seems a good pro to have around a dressing room
Egan was starting to slow down towards the end of the 22/23 season and then missed almost the whole of last season with an Achilles injury. I'm sure some teams will see Egan as a decent pick up squad wise the issue he's gonna find will be wages.
A Blades player until the end of June, Egan is back training on grass. Talks about a new contract with Sheffield Utd continue; the club will want to assess his fitness, against the backdrop of a potential takeover.
John Egan hits big Sheffield United fitness milestone amid new Bramall Lane contract hope (thestar.co.uk)
Meanwhile, his free agent status interests a couple of (unnamed) Premiership clubs, according to The 72
Sheffield United still in John Egan talks, Premier League duo keen (the72.co.uk)
My guess would be Ipswich and Southampton, or maybe Everton, if those interested clubs are anything more than a figment of his agent's imagination.
Assuming the injury isn't a career ending one
He should walk into a club