Potential Foxes windfall moves one step closer

PA LOAN STARS: Sheffield United’s Hamza Choudhury 

and Will Alves of Cardiff City

BLADES MAY SIGN CHOUDHURY IF THEY RETURN TO PREMIER LEAGUE

Jordan Blackwell 

14 May 2025 - Leicester Mercury

SHEFFIELD United are 90 minutes away from the Premier League with their success potentially leading to a Leicester City windfall, writes Jordan Blackwell.

The Blades beat Bristol City 3-0 in the play-off semi-final second leg on Monday night to earn a 6-0 aggregate victory and comfortably book their place at Wembley.

City loanee Hamza Choudhury played 90 minutes for Sheffield United at right-back as they again kept a clean sheet and he will be favourite to start the final.

If Sheffield United are triumphant, it perhaps makes a permanent move for the City academy graduate more likely.

Playing as a defensive midfielder or as a right-back, Choudhury has made 18 appearances since joining the Blades on loan in January, only missing one game.

He has done what he was brought in to do and has broken up play well. For combined tackles and interceptions per game, he ranked in the Championship’s top five.

With that versatility and with those defensive abilities, Sheffield United may consider taking up the option to buy in Choudhury’s loan contract.

It’s not that promotion is decisive for a deal to go through, but the greater financial freedom it would give the Blades would make the transfer more likely.

Manager Chris Wilder has in the past referred to Choudhury’s “Premier League class and quality”, suggesting he is someone he feels can do a job in the top flight.

If the Blades don’t take up the option to sign Choudhury, he could yet have a future at City.

The 27-year-old was surplus to requirements under Ruud van Nistelrooy, but not only are there doubts over the Dutch manager’s future, but a reassessment of the squad may be required over the summer.

City didn’t need Choudhury with Wilfred Ndidi, Boubakary Soumare, Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp to choose from, but there’s potential for three of those to leave this summer.

Soumare and Winks only have a year left on their contracts, and neither may be interested in playing in the Championship again. Ndidi has two years left on his deal, but could generate a transfer profit if he attracts interest. To avoid having to buy in a host of new midfielders, Choudhury could therefore be retained. While it may be the case that City could bolster their midfield department with players from the academy, the likes of Henry Cartwright and Sammy Braybrooke remain mostly untested at senior level.