Football
Exclusive: Sheffield United on Alert as Feyenoord Join Race for Gustavo Hamer
Feyenoord are eyeing Sheffield United midfielder Gustavo Hamer after his friend moved to the Dutch giants. With his future uncertain, Hamer's ties to the Netherlands and interest from PSV and Brentford make for an intriguing transfer saga.
York City v Sheffield United - Pre-Season Friendly by Tony King | Getty Images
Sheffield United fear Feyenoord will enter the race for Gustavo Hamer’s services after his friend and former colleague, Anel Ahmedhodzic, completed his move to the Dutch giants, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
One of the stand-out players in the Championship last season, Hamer’s future at Bramall Lane was plunged into doubt when the Blades suffered a shock defeat in the play-off final to Sunderland despite finishing 14 points ahead of Regis Le Bris’ side.
With United’s new owners COH Sports adopting a more frugal approach to the transfer market than the one they employed after taking control just before Christmas, Ahmedhodzic became the latest high profile departure from South Yorkshire earlier this week when he signed a four year contract in Rotterdam.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina international was not actively looking to leave England, after publicly thanking United’s following for their support through a series of off-the-pitch issues.
But the prospect of playing European football for one of the most passionately followed teams on the continent ultimately proved impossible to resist.
Now, insiders have told SportsBoom Ahmedhodzic’s detailed knowledge of Hamer’s own personal situation to try and convince his new employers to swoop for the Brazilian born attacker.
HOME COMFORTS
Despite originally hailing from South America, Hamer now regards the Netherlands as home having settled there as a youngster.
His family, including young children, are still based in Holland despite seeing him forge a successful career abroad, first with Coventry City and then The Blades.
PSV Eindhoven have expressed a tentative interest in acquiring Hamer, although negotiations are not thought to have progressed to an advanced stage.
But the prospect of returning to Feyenoord, where he started his professional career, could prove difficult for Hamer to resist given his situation away from the game.
United hierarchy are now concerned that Ahmedhodzic, armed with this information, will now petition Robin van Persie to submit what would be, from the 28-year-old’s perspective, a compelling offer to rival PSV.
Brentford have also been monitoring Hamer’s situation closely, despite his age not fitting their usual recruitment profile.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.