Sheffield United are reportedly interested in signing free agent Jed Steer, with the Blades seeking to bolster their goalkeeping department.
The 30-year-old is currently without a club after leaving Aston Villa in the summer at the expiration of his contract, ending a 10-year spell at the Second City giants.
Steer was been loaned out a significant numbers of occasions as he failed to claim a place in between the sticks at Villa Park, enjoying temporary spells at the likes of Huddersfield Town, Charlton Athletic and most recently Luton Town during the 2021-22 term.
After helping the Villans to Premier League promotion back in 2019, Steer featured just twice in the top flight for the West Midlands outfit over a three-year period.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, Sheffield United are reportedly close to agreeing a deal which would see Steer join the club's goalkeeping ranks for the 2023-24 term.
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With the Englishman training over the last few months without a club, the Blades will not have to pay a transfer fee for the player - unlike the majority of their other incomings during the summer transfer window.
The report claims that an agreement to bring Steer to Bramall Lane is close to completion, with the 30-year-old set to become United's 11th signing since their return to the Premier League.
Sheffield United currently have Wes Foderingham and Adam Davies as shot-stopping options, however both have contracts at the club which expire at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.
Former Rangers man Foderingham played 40 matches in the Championship last term for Paul Heckingbottom's men, keeping 17 clean sheets as they finished second behind Vincent Kompany's Burnley in the second tier.
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Wales international Davies has been the number-two choice for the Blades since arriving on a free transfer from Stoke City in 2022, playing just 11 matches for the club.
United have managed to pick up one point from their opening quartet of fixtures in the Premier League, with their first result of the campaign coming at Bramall Lane last weekend, when the hosts drew 2-2 with Sean Dyche's Everton.
All three of the Blades' defeats so far have been by one-goal margins, meaning that Heckingbottom's charges have perhaps proved to be a harder nut to crack compared to the other recently-promoted sides in the opening stages of the term.
A trip to North London awaits on September 16, when Sheffield United will strive to earn their first maximum of the campaign against a Tottenham Hotspur side who are full of confidence after an unbeaten league start under Ange Postecoglou.
Carter White
