Championship side Sheffield United are interested in a move for Manchester City midfielder Tommy Doyle, according to a report from The Star.
The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Cardiff City, enjoying a fruitful spell in the Welsh capital and recording two goals and three assists in 19 league appearances.
Proving to be an asset going forward and in the middle of the park, he was reportedly being monitored by Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth ahead of another potential loan move away for the youngster.
At this stage, it's currently unclear whether he will be part of Pep Guardiola's plans at the Etihad Stadium next season with James McAtee and Cole Palmer both impressing in the top-tier side's youth system during the 2021/22 campaign.
However, McAtee has been linked with a temporary move away from the club with Huddersfield Town thought to be interested in luring him to the John Smith's Stadium, though no move has materialised yet.
A move for Doyle is also yet to materialise despite Cardiff and Bournemouth's previous interest, potentially enabling the Blades to swoop in and address this key area following Conor Hourihane's departure on the expiration of his loan deal at Bramall Lane.
The Verdict:
This would be a good addition for Paul Heckingbottom's side and it may also be a cheap one, with City potentially willing to pay a chunk of his wages on the condition he manages to get plenty of playing time under his belt.
He shone in the second tier last term and with a full season to impress at United if he ends up in South Yorkshire this summer, he could thrive once more if given a sufficient opportunity to shine.
There's also uncertainty surrounding Sander Berge, not just in terms of whether he's leaving or not but also where he will play next season, with the Norwegian proving to be an asset going forward during the 2021/22 campaign.
Morgan Gibbs-White has left a big gap in the advanced midfield position and it wouldn't be a surprise to see someone of Berge's quality come in as a replacement there, even though he has spent some of his career in a deeper position.
With Hourihane's departure and this uncertainty regarding Berge, securing a new option in this area is vital and if they can bring Doyle in, they can then look at other areas including their central defence.