Report: Robinson swap deal edging closer, with one key caveat attached to the deal which could benefit Blades

Try before you buy.

That would appear to be the approach Sheffield United are taking, and I for one am glad they are going down that path.

According to a report from Sky Sports, Callum Robinson is in the process of completing a permanent deal to West Bromwich Albion following his loan move there last season, whilst Baggies midfielder Oli Burke is set to complete a loan move in the opposite direction.

It’s unknown at this point just how much the Blades are likely to receive at this point for Robinson’s services, and just how much the loan deal has affected the price tag. I’ve made my views on Robinson quite clear in the past, so to see him go is something that I’m very much pleased with.

However, the news that Burke would be coming to us on a loan is what intrigues me the most. I spoke a couple of weeks ago about how I wasn’t a fan of Burke coming here, for a number of reasons, but at the time I assumed it would be on a permanent deal.

Now though with him coming on loan, that makes me somewhat more open to the move, because whilst I voiced my concerns about it, at least this way we can trial things without having the burden of being lumbered with him for too long if things don’t work out. And if he turns out to be a good player, we can keep him and maybe turn his deal into a permanent one further down the road.

So in a sense we could invariably come out as ‘winners’ in this deal, because not only do we get the money but we also have a lot more say and control over what is going to happen with the player we receive in return.