According to Pete O’Rourke of the Football Insider, Sheffield United are interested in Mason Holgate and ‘have made an approach’ to sign the £25k-per-week Everton defender on a season-long loan before the summer transfer window shuts.
It’s easy to see why the Blades are testing the waters. Chris Wilder wants Premier League experience for his side’s relegation battle to come and has targeted a player who has been on the periphery at Goodison Park.
Since joining Everton from Barnsley in 2015, Holgate has gone on to make 48 appearances in all competitions, but only six have come in the last 12 months. The 22-year-old fell down the pecking order under Marco Silva and spent 2018/19 on loan at West Bromwich Albion.
Holgate is in the Everton first-team this season, but he won’t command a starting place over Yerry Mina and Michael Keane. Silva is still trying to sign another centre-back after failing to get Kurt Zouma, which suggests the England u21 international will be the last resort in defence.
Sheffield United are clearly hoping Everton will let him go for another season-long loan, but it’s hard to see a deal being sanctioned until at least one new centre-back is signed.