Sheffield United eye Mikey Johnston as priority if Hamer departs

Sheffield United face a clear gap on the left flank as star winger Gus Hamer is linked with a move back to Coventry City, prompting the Blades to earmark Republic of Ireland international Mikey Johnston as their priority signing for the 2026‑27 Championship campaign. The club’s need for a genuine left‑winger intensifies with Hamer’s potential exit.

The Yorkshire side finished the 2025‑26 season in 13th place, a mid‑table position that fell short of expectations after a turbulent start under former Hull City boss Ruben Selles and a later rescue by Chris Wilder. Financial constraints loom large, with the loss of Premier League parachute payments limiting the club’s spending power.

Only two players have arrived during the summer window so far: defender Matt Doherty joined on a free transfer and 19‑year‑old Romelle Donovan arrived on loan from Brentford, highlighting the limited activity ahead of the rebuild.

Reports suggest Hamer has held positive talks with Coventry City, a club to which United still owe money from a transfer in August 2023. That outstanding balance could become a decisive factor in any deal that materialises.

Sheffield United fan pundit Jimmy (aka Blades Ramble) argued that the left side of the pitch will be exposed without Hamer, saying, “We’ve said for a while that it’s not really Gus Hamer’s position to come in off the left as it leaves us unbalanced… I would like more of a legitimate left‑winger, somebody to compliment Donovan.” He singled out Mikey Johnston as a suitable replacement.

West Bromwich Albion, managed by James Morrison, are currently short of wide options after the departures of Karlan Grant and Jed Wallace on free transfers. The Baggies now rely on Johnston and academy graduate Ollie Bostock, making it difficult for them to consider letting their standout winger go without a sizeable bid.

Given Johnston’s status as one of West Brom’s key players, Sheffield United may struggle to meet the financial demand required to secure his transfer, creating a significant obstacle to the Blades’ replacement plan.

By Warren Bishop, Published Aug 1, 2026, 7:45 AM GMT+1, this article appears on FLW. Warren is a self‑publishing writer and sub‑editor for FLW, covering all three divisions while focusing on West Bromwich Albion. He graduated with a Bachelor Honors in Sports Journalism at Birmingham City University in 2023 and has written for Prost International, Vavel, TheRealEFL and his own blog InsideSport. Since August 2023 he has been part of the Football League World team. Here we log the developments for us, and the term Brom even appears in fan chatter. Since the start of the season the club has been active in August and continues to monitor the situation.