Sheffield United are closing in on the promising former Premier League player

Sheffield United are closing in on their second signing of the summer transfer window with a deal for former Norwich City left-back Sam McCallum close to being completed ahead of the Blades’ first pre-season game against York City on Saturday afternoon.

McCallum is a versatile defender who can play as a left back in a traditional back four or as a left back in a five man defence. His willingness to get forward down the left flank is a prominent feature of his game, displaying a strong work rate in attack that often places him in promising positions. Despite this, McCallum’s contributions in terms of goals and assists have been modest throughout his tenure at Norwich City. Last season, he scored just one goal in 27 league appearances and registered no assists. This begs the question: Is his end product the problem?

The 23-year-old’s eagerness to move into the attacking third is reflected in his stats. He ranked in the 75th percentile for touches in the opposition penalty area among Championship full-backs over the past year, indicating his frequent presence in advanced positions.

However, his ranking in the bottom 10% for actual assists contrasts sharply with his expected assist (xA) figure, where he is in the 76th percentile. This discrepancy suggests that while McCallum is creating opportunities, his teammates have not converted them in gaps.

McCallum faced criticism from Norwich fans for his defensive work rate. Many expressed concern about his “furry” approach to defense. There are several situations where he is in a one-on-one situation and decides to keep pulling into the penalty area – that is something he needs to remove from his game. McCallum is in the 50th percentile for tackles.

Where McCallum really shines is in his ability to intercept and clear the ball. He ranks in the 99th percentile for interceptions and 97th for clearances, showing a knack for disrupting the opposition’s play and escaping pressure from his teammates. Additionally, McCallum’s aerial prowess is notable; ranks in the 99th percentile for aerial duels won. This particular skill set addresses a critical weakness seen in Sheffield United’s defenders last season, who struggled in aerial battles; they averaged a 46% aerial win rate per game.

McCallum would be a very good back-up option for a player like Harrison Burrows, who has reportedly agreed a deal with Sheffield United, now it’s down to the Blades pushing the button to complete the move.

In addition, Peterborough United boss Darren Ferguson told the Posh club’s official media team that: “The reality is that clubs like ours will lose players if we don’t get promoted. I expected to lose Ronnie (Edwards) and there was a lot of interest in Harrison. I doubt it will be here again. If it is, then great, but it’s not likely,” according to the Sheffield Star.