Leeds United branded ‘rubbish’ over Gustavo Hamer transfer controversy at Sheffield United
Leeds United making a cheap bid to Sheffield United for Gustavo Hamer has been branded “rubbish” by David Prutton.
The Sky Sports pundit reacted to the controversy in his Yorkshire Evening Post column on 6 September to criticise the move but highlighted the arbitrary nature of value during a transfer window.
Chris Wilder was particularly aggrieved after the Whites made an offer worth £13million for the Blades star [The Star, 30 August], which was seen as derisory and immediately rejected [The Star, 26 August], when an exit clause in his deal that would have made the move possible had already expired [Alan Nixon, 26 August].
He wrote: “Bidding less than what Sheffield United paid for Gus Hamer is rubbish basically. That’s chancing your arm to see you will get him on the cheap.
“But in the essence of value money, is Georginio Rutter worth £40m? No. Was he worth £35m? No.
“But Leeds paid it and Leeds made a profit on him so therein lies a conundrum of what you’re getting against what you’re actually paying for.”
Chris Wilder offended by Leeds United bid
The concept of value in the transfer market ultimately does come down to what one club is willing to pay and what another is willing to accept, whatever the prevailing view is elsewhere.
But for Sheffield United, having just escaped the possibility of a cheap exit clause being trigged, their player of the season was always going to have a high value.
Add in the fact that the two sides are local and Championship rivals, so a lowball offer was only going to wind up the Blades and Wilder, when it only takes a sandwich to set the latter off [BBC Sport, 1 February].
Had the offer been a starting point for extensive negotiations that ended on a compromise it might have made more sense, but when Adam Pope quickly reported that Leeds weren’t planning to go back with another offer it did make the whole episode look odd.
Hamer himself was said to have agreed personal terms over a move to Elland Road [Transfer Watch, 27 August], which made the failure to take advantage of the clause when it was active all the more maddening.
And may have contributed to Daniel Farke highlighting his disappointment at not being provided with a number 10, where the Dutchman could arguably have been a game-changer despite naturally fitting slightly deeper, in what appeared to be the first signs of strain on the manager’s relationship with the 49ers [Graham Smyth, 2 September].
In other Leeds United news, a fan-favourite attacker is now in line for a permanent exit amid transfer surprise at Elland Road.
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