Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge has admitted there were talks about him leaving the club in January after reports of interest from Fulham, Newcastle and West Ham.
That is something the midfielder has confirmed to TV 2 Play, insisting he does not know what the future holds for him personally.
He has been with the Blades since a €23m move from KRC Genk in January 2020 and has been a regular ever since, making 99 appearances in all competitions.
This season he has found himself in and out of the side, featuring in 73% of the available minutes in the Championship so far.
That had led to talks about a potential departure in the January transfer window, with Sheffield United reportedly considering a sale to help ease financial worries.
That was covered at the time, with Fulham and Newcastle United brought into the mix right at the end of the winter window.
West Ham were also in the midfielder according to TV 2, as they looked to add competition to David Moyes’ squad that month.
A move never happened, despite Berge being pulled out of the squad for the FA Cup clash with Wrexham ahead of a potential departure.
That was a strange period for the Sheffield United man, who admits there were talks about a transfer, which could always be revived in the summer.
“I was prepared to go and play a cup match, first and foremost, and was looking forward to it. I had visitors and people would come and watch a match. It didn’t turn out that way,” he told TV 2.
“I was told that in this match I was not part of the squad. Then it was a bit like that back and forth. The club and my agents (Morten Wivestad and Mike Kjølø) tried to see what was possible to achieve. There was interest there.
“It never got to the point where I needed to make a choice. I wasn’t very involved. It passed, then it was up to the horse and playing matches again.
“I see how it can look like that from the outside, that it will be the same pattern every time, but I don’t stress. Teammates and people around joke a bit about it when it comes up again and again, but for me it’s just to focus on football.
“[About a potential summer move], it is difficult to say in football. You shouldn’t predict too far ahead, because things change quickly. I’ll have to take that when the time comes.”
Whether any of the three Premier League clubs come calling again remains to be seen in what will be a busy summer window.
Newcastle have continued to be linked with midfield reinforcements in recent months so them being interested would make sense, while Fulham may find themselves searching for a replacement for Joao Palhinha.
West Ham may also be on the hunt for Declan Rice’s replacement if he departs and Berge could be that man.
