Sheffield United centre-back Anel Ahmedhodzic has highlighted the role Paul Heckingbottom played in persuading to join the Blades despite options in top leagues.
Sheffield United’s summer swoop for Bosnian international Ahmedhodzic has proven pivotal to their success this season.
The centre-back has proven himself as a cut above the rest at this level, managing five goals and two assists in 29 outings while helping keep 12 clean sheets in the process. He’s become a firm favourite at Bramall Lane, with some questioning why he’s not already playing at a higher level.
Now though, Ahmedhodzic has confirmed he did indeed have the chance to play in top-flight European leagues, only to be persuaded to head for the Blades instead.
As quoted by The Star, the 23-year-old said he quickly decided Sheffield United was where he wanted to be after speaking with manager Heckingbottom, saying:
“There was the possibility [to go to Europe], yes.
“There was the chance to go to leagues that some people think might be bigger than the Championship. But I made up my mind very early that I wanted to come here. That was because I believed in the gaffer’s plan and what he was telling me about how he wants to play. I’m very glad I did.”
Kicking on with the Blades…
Heckingbottom’s key role in persuading a player of Ahmedhodzic’s quality to join is a bright sign for the future. Bringing in talented players who perhaps haven’t appeared on the radars of the top clubs yet is a clever way to go about recruitment, especially for a club pushing for promotion.
A Sheffield United move may well bring Ahmedhodzic the top-flight football he desires anyway, with the Blades’ promotion push looking good.
As it stands, the club sit 2nd in the Championship, seven points clear of Middlesbrough with a game in hand. Of the current crop, plenty of players look more than capable of making the step up to Premier League football and Ahmedhodzic is certainly among them.
