Beaten Championship play-off finalists Sheffield United are set to rival Birmingham City for the signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Tommy Doyle.
The 23-year-old appears increasingly likely to leave Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer, with Championship interest continuing to grow regarding his availability.
The Blades were beaten in heartbreaking fashion by Sunderland in the play-off final last month and have since parted ways with Chris Wilder, replacing him with former Hull City manager Ruben Selles.
Sheffield United enter Doyle race
As reported by journalist Alan Nixon, Sheffield United are thoroughly in the hunt to try and beat Birmingham City and secure the return of former loanee Tommy Doyle for the 2025/26 season.
Doyle is set to depart the club this summer, with Birmingham already reportedly having agreed a loan with obligation to buy deal with Wolves, with a proposed fee in the region of £10 million.
However, with the deal not currently over the line, there is always the possibility of a side swooping in to secure his services and that appears to be what Sheffield United are attempting to do.
How did he fare last season?
The midfielder was a regular feature for Wolves in the Premier League last season, though almost all of his outings came off the bench and only played a total of 521 minutes in the top flight.
After making his loan stint from Manchester City permanent, Doyle went on to make just three league starts as he seemed to struggle when it came to leaving a lasting impression on the Wolves staff.
His only goal of the campaign came in the EFL Cup, netting during the clubs 3-2 defeat against Brighton Hove Albion.
In terms of the Premier League, Doyle made 24 appearances last season for Wolves, with his only goal contribution being an assist against Brighton once again.
Which club suits him better?
The future of midfielder Gusatvo Hamer could play a role in whether Sheffield United possess the ability to fend off the Birmingham City pursuit.
Birmingham on the other hand are in need of a creative midfielder with Kieran Dowell, Luke Harris and Willum Willumsson all struggling to make their presence felt consistently last season in League One.
Doyle would receive plenty of first-teams exposure at a Birmingham side that are consistently attempting to push towards the Premier League themselves under their new owners and this could prove to be a move that’s ‘too good’ to turn down.
Sheffield United are in a stronger position on paper to return to the Premier League and have had Doyle previously which certainly boosts their chances of securing his signature.
