Tom Cannon ‘pretty close’ to Sheffield United transfer says Chris Wilder

Sunderland were also in talks to sign Tom Cannon. Picture: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire.

Tom Cannon is 'pretty close' to completing his £10m transfer from Leicester City, according to Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder.

The Blades maintained their quest for an immediate Premier League return by racking up a third successive win, coming from behind to beat Swansea City 2-1 in Wales.

Wilder’s side lead are two points clear at the summit but the experienced chief admits he’ll require reinforcements such as Ireland striker Cannon to seal the deal over the remaining 18 matches.

“We’re pretty close Tom coming into the group,” said Wilder.

“I’ve been focussing on the Swansea game but there’s been work going on in the background such as a medical, which is fairly common knowledge.

“Fingers crossed, we’ll get the cavalry in because there were a lot of tired bodies out there and we won by hook or crook. We desperately need players back from injury and through the door.”

New Foxes boss Ruud van Nistelrooy recalled the striker from his 12-goal loan spell at Stoke City, not to aid his relegation fight but to bank cash for his transfer kitty.

Leicester forked out £7.5m to Everton for Cannon in August 2023 but injuries and competition during their march to the Championship title last season squeezed him to the margins. Everton will receive a 20% slice of the profit, as part of a sell-on clause.

Liverpool-born Cannon removed himself from the FAI fold after just one U21 cap amid interest from England 18 months ago but eventually committed, making his debut in the friendly defeat away to Portugal last June.

A resumption of his firepower form would catapult him the fore of Heimir Hallgrímsson’s thoughts, with a Nations League playoff against Bulgaria in March first up in a year that concludes with six World Cup qualifiers between September and November.