"Has to be the one" - Sheffield United urged to strike Tom Cannon deal ahead of Riis & McBurnie | OneFootball

We spoke to our resident Sheffield United pundit about what player he would like to sign up front.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Sheffield United have struggled to find a constant source of goals from their strikers since Tyrese Campbell sustained a hamstring injury in early December.

The former Stoke City man was on a strong run of form with six goals in eight games before he pulled up early in the second half against West Bromwich Albion last month.

Without him, the Blades have managed just seven goals in their six subsequent fixtures, prompting them to actively pursue a striker in the January transfer window.

So far, there has been reported interest in Emil Riis, Tom Cannon and a potential return for former £20 million centre-forward Oli McBurnie, who previously had a six-year stint at Bramall Lane, where he netted 29 goals in 159 games.

Meanwhile, Cannon and Riis have both been in decent form this season, netting a combined 16 goals in the Championship this term for Stoke City and Preston North End respectively.

This level of finishing could be exactly what Chris Wilder needs and if he wants to sustain the Blades' promotion bid, then adding a reinforcement up front wouldn't go amiss.

Sheffield United urged to strike Tom Cannon deal ahead of Riis, McBurnie

With the above interest in mind, Football League World spoke to their resident Sheffield United pundit, Jimmy, from the Blades Ramble podcast, about who he thought the club should target.

Speaking on the topic, he told FLW: "Emil Riis, I like the look of him. He always looks dangerous when he plays against United.

"He has had a long-term injury, but his stats haven't been great this year. I don't know whether that is just minutes played, as looking at his appearances, he hasn't scored that many goals. But, I do like him as a player, so I wouldn't be upset with him as an option."

Moving onto McBurnie, Jimmy stated that he wouldn't like to see a return for a player who originally cost Sheffield United so much money, and instead, a potential swoop for Cannon should be pursued.

"Some love him, some don't rate him at all," Jimmy added on the Scotland international.

"I think the £20 million fee didn't help him at all. Had he come for £2 million, he would have been received as a very good signing.

"Despite the fact he would improve our options and go in ahead of Rhian Brewster, I don't think he would be my preferred option to look at on loan.

"Tom Cannon has to be the one we are looking at.

"He hasn't had the best of seasons at Stoke, but he is scoring goals in a poor side. I believe he is only up front on his own and, while he may be in our side, I would like to think he will get more chances in our team because we do create quite a lot.

"If we can get him on a permanent deal for £6-8 million, I think it would be a really good deal for Sheffield United.

"We are not going to lose money on him. Leicester signed him for £7 million and haven't really done anything with him and still haven't lost value on him.

"It would be a really shrewd signing, so Tom Cannon gets my vote."

Tom Cannon would be a strong addition for Chris Wilder and Sheffield United

If United could force a deal over the line for Cannon, then it would represent a strong piece of business.

Creating a trio of Kieffer Moore, Campbell, and Cannon would provide Wilder with a wealth of options, allowing him to adapt his game plan based on the striker he chooses to deploy.

In addition, they all have decent scoring records in the division and this could give the Blades an edge in a tight promotion race.

For Cannon, a move to Yorkshire would represent a strong step in his career, and it could provide the 22-year-old a chance to play in the Premier League in 2025-26.