This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Championship side Sheffield United may be approached by Turkish top-tier side Besiktas regarding the availability of forward Lys Mousset next month, according to Fotomac.

As per the Turkish outlet, officials from the Super Lig outfit are preparing to enter negotiations with the Blades in December ahead of a potential January move, ending what will have been an unsuccessful two-and-a-half-year spell at Bramall Lane.

Arriving from current Championship rivals AFC Bournemouth in the summer of 2019 after their promotion to the top flight, the South Yorkshire outfit paid a sizeable £10m fee for his services and saw him record a respectable 10 goal contributions in the Premier League during the 2019/20 campaign.

 

 

However, he failed to replicate this last term as he failed to register a single goal in 11 top-flight appearances, with his form summing up his side's season as a whole as they finished at the foot of the table.

The step down to the Championship seems to have helped the Frenchman, scoring three goals in seven appearances this term, but has suffered with injuries yet again during 2021/22, picking up a severe hamstring problem on the opening day of the campaign and has been absent from the Blades' matchday squad in the last three games.

With Billy Sharp, Rhian Brewster, David McGoldrick and Oliver McBurnie as options manager Paul Heckingbottom can utilise, it remains to be seen whether he will be allowed to leave despite his obvious talent.

Whether the second-tier side will sanction a move away is the all-important question - and it's one we have asked three of our Football League World reporters ahead of this potential move.

Chris Gallagher

An exit feels inevitable.

That's not to say that Mousset isn't a good player, as he has shown when available that he can score goals in the Championship. However, his injury record, combined with his contract situation means his future will be away from Bramall Lane.

The winter window presents the last chance for the Blades to get a fee for the player and I expect them to take it.

Ultimately, the reality is that they have too many strikers on their books, so they will look to move on at least one to allow them to reinvest in other areas of the squad and to have a more balanced group. Therefore, with Mousset out of contract, he is the obvious player to go.

Some fans may feel he was worth persisting with but given his injury history and the other strikers at the club, I don't think he will be missed too much.

Joshua Cole

Although Mousset has struggled considerably with his fitness this year, it could turn out to be a major error if Sheffield United allow him to leave in January.

During the seven appearances that Mousset has made for the Blades this season, he has managed to illustrate that he was more than capable of competing at this level as he has scored on three occasions in the Championship.

Providing that the forward is able to avoid injury during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, he could play a significant role for the club as they aim to launch a push for a play-off place.

Therefore, instead of sanctioning a permanent exit, Heckingbottom ought to resist the temptation to cash in on the 25-year-old.

Sam Rourke