In an exclusive interview with This is Futbol, former Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United midfielder Keith Gillespie advised the Blades don’t need to sign Middlesbrough attacker Ashley Fletcher this summer.
Ashley Fletcher has been released by Middlesbrough ahead of his contract end date in June. Manager Neil Warnock said the club was a better place without both him and Britt Assombalonga, whom he also allowed to leave early.
Fletcher is now a free agent and will be looking for a new side to further his career this summer. One club who were previously linked to the 25-year-old were Sheffield United.
Following the Blades’ relegation down to the Championship in recent weeks, they will already be preparing for their first season back in the second tier.
However, Gillespie advised that he doesn’t believe that a move for Fletcher would be necessary given the amount of strikers they already have at their disposal.
“I know he’s at Middlesbrough and hasn’t played too many minutes,” he said.
“Do Sheffield United as it stands need a striker in the Championship?
“They’ve got [Rhian] Brewster, [David] McGoldrick, [Oli] McBurnie, Billy Sharp is there still, [Oliver] Burke – it’s not really a position they need to be filling.
“But then again, it depends on how many strikers are going to stay at Sheffield United, if two of three were to move on then Fletcher would be an option.”
Fletcher’s lack of playing time this season has primarily been due to injury. Across the campaign he played just 12 times, making just four starts. During the season he scored twice and assisted another.
Middlesbrough themselves are looking to bolster their attacking options in the up and coming transfer window. So if Sheffield United were hoping to sign Fletcher and sell those already at the club, Neil Warnock’s side could be a potential destination for the aforementioned quintet.
Having let Fletcher and Assombalonga leave, Boro currently have just two first-team forwards at their disposal. Chuba Akpom and Duncan Watmore played in the last handful of games, whereas 18-year-old Josh Coburn was also given an opportunity.
