Championship outfit Sheffield United are yet to receive a bid for star midfielder Sander Berge this summer despite interest from elsewhere, according to an update from The Star.
The 24-year-old was the subject of intense interest from top-flight teams in England and Italy last summer following the Blades' relegation to the second tier, with many sides previously looking to take advantage of their plight.
Despite cashing in on another one of their prized assets in Aaron Ramsdale, who was sold to Arsenal in a £30m deal, they managed to hold on to the Norwegian with Paul Heckingbottom's side holding a lot of power at the negotiating table for his services.
This is because his contract at Bramall Lane doesn't expire until the summer of 2024 - and the second-tier side's coaching staff are keen to keep hold of one of their prized assets once again this summer.
Leeds United have recently been linked with a move for Berge, potentially putting a dent in the Blades' hopes of retaining him beyond this window.
However, Football League World understands interest in the 24-year-old has largely dried up recently and the Sheffield Star are now reporting that Heckingbottom's are yet to receive a bid for their star man.
He first arrived at Bramall Lane for a fee believed to be in the region of £22m back in January 2020 - and it's understood the Blades are looking to make a profit on him if they do sell him on in the coming months.
The Verdict:
Considering his fitness issues since his arrival in South Yorkshire, there's little chance of the club making a profit on the Norwegian at this stage but with two years left on his contract, this window will be the ideal time to sell him.
His financial value will only decrease as his contract continues to run down and this is why Heckingbottom's side should be prepared to make a small loss on him - because there are no guarantees he will sign a new contract even if the Blades are promoted next term.
If they do sell him, that could provide the second-tier side's manager with a reasonably decent budget to play with in the summer, allowing him to strengthen key areas and giving his side the best chance of returning to the top flight at the first time of asking.
Berge may be someone that can come in and fill the void Morgan Gibbs-White has left - but they can't afford to let Berge go for free considering the amount they spent on him back in 2020.
Even if the manager does want to keep him, the board should probably intervene and cash in, but should also provide a decent chunk of the fee generated for the 44-year-old to play with after two windows of very limited spending.