Paul Heckingbottom is adamant that Sander Berge will stay with Sheffield United this summer. It was reported by Sport1 that Werder Bremen made contact with the Blades over the signing of the Norwegian, however Paul Heckingbottom has recently dismissed this as being false.
After yesterdays friendly against Lincoln City, Heckingbottom spoke about the alleged transfer offer:
“It’s a big bugbear of mine. Anyone can put whatever they want, wherever they want and all of a sudden it’s fact. But nothing has happened. That’s it. He’s here, he’s our player and he knows what I think of him. We do speak and will be speaking regularly but there’s nothing. No decision to make. Nothing at all.” [Via Sheffield United YouTube]
The Blades gaffer has also stated that Belgian side Club Brugge submitted a bid for the 24 year-old:
“There was a really low one from Club Brugge a while ago, that was not worth anything but that’s all we have had. There are no issues. Me and Sander speak about anything whether it’s football or whether it’s not.” [Via Yorkshire Live]
The manager expressed:
“Regardless of what anyone asks me, ‘would you sell Sander for this money?’ No, because where are we going to get the replacement? That’s my stance on it and everyone understands that.” [Via Yorkshire Live]
The manager and majority of the supporters feel that United’s best chance to go up this season is with the Norwegian midfielder, rather than without him. When Berge came back from injury in the latter stages of last season, he took up a more advanced role, subsequently adding more goals to his game.
This pre-season he’s started where he left off last season. Berge has already scored two goals this pre-season, with one being a tap in which underlines one big difference to his game when Paul Heckingbottom took over as manager.
Berge became more of a box-threat and more aggressive under Heckingbottom’s tenure, and it looks as though that has brought the best out of the big, but swift, Norwegian midfielder.