Sheffield United linked with move to sign 22-year-old | OneFootball

Sheffield United have reportedly made a bid for NEC Nijmegen winger Sontje Hansen, formerly of Ajax

Sheffield United have tabled an offer of around €3.5m for former Ajax starlet Sontje Hansen, who has scored four Eredivisie goals for current club NEC Nijmegen this term.

That's according to Dutch outlet Soccer News, who report that the Blades have made a concrete offer for Hansen's services, amid fellow interest from French club RC Lens, who still need to finalise an outgoing transfer before potentially rivalling the Championship club's bid.

Sheffield United bid for ex-Ajax youngster

Without completing any transfers yet, the Blades have been busy in the January market, and have identified key targets such as Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury, as first revealed by the Sheffield Star.

Meanwhile, Chris Wilder and co have also set their sights on Ben Brereton Diaz's Bramall Lane return, with supporters eager to see the impact of the recent takeover completed by American-based consortium COH Sports.

The latest star to have caught the attention of the South Yorkshire outfit is Nijmegen winger Hansen, who has subsequently been the subject of a seven-figure bid from Wilder's men, as per Soccer News.

However, the Sheffield Star have poured cold water over such developments, adding that they do not believe the Blades are interested in the winger.

The 22-year-old began his career with Dutch giants Ajax, but he only ever made two senior appearances for the Amsterdam club, before making the move to Nijmegen in search of more game time.

Since joining Rogier Meijer's side, Hansen has never looked back, and scored six goals and four assists in 33 league outings for the club last season, helping them to a sixth-place finish.

This season, Meijer's men sit just 12th in the Eredivisie table, but Hansen's final third exploits have remained a positive constant for them, as he has scored four goals and created one assist in 16 league appearances.

In early December, the wideman established a 1-0 lead for Nijmegen against his former club Ajax, proving his ability to produce the goods against high-calibre opposition.

However, a brace from former Burnley target man Wout Weghorst ensured that the Amsterdam side claimed all three points, despite Hansen's best efforts.

Hansen could be an exciting addition for the Blades

Wilder's men have enjoyed a mostly successful Championship campaign so far, and would be sitting top of the table if it wasn't for a two-point deduction they were handed prior to the start of the season.

However, in recent weeks, the Blades have not been at their best, and endured a run of three games without a win during the Festive period, which included a Boxing Day defeat to Burnley, and a New Year's Day loss at Sunderland.

But Hansen's impressive exploits in the top-flight of Dutch football suggest that he could have what it takes to enable the Bramall Lane outfit to build momentum from Saturday's 2-1 win at Watford.

It seems, for now at least, that Hansen may not be arriving in South Yorkshire this month, with the Sheffield Star reporting that Wilder's priority is to recruit a left-sided forward.