Sheffield United: What Nottingham Forest offered for Max Lowe and what they might have to pay
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Steve Bettis, United’s chief executive, indicated that Steve Cooper’s side had made an approach for Lowe during the January transfer window after signing him on loan at the beginning of last season.
Sources in the east Midlands last night reported Forest’s offer would have seen them pay “between £1.5m and £2m” to acquire the 25-year-old on a permanent basis. But they also confirmed that was turned down by officials at Bramall Lane, who valued Lowe at more than twice that amount.
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Hide AdWith Forest gaining promotion to the Premier League, having beaten United in the Championship play-off semi-finals, United are now braced for Cooper’s representatives to contact them again. But if they do, and manager Paul Heckingbottom encourages his employers to stand firm, United’s hierarchy could be forced to consider handing Lowe an improved contract in order to soften the blow of losing out on a return to the top-flight.
Recruited as part of the deal which also saw Jayden Bogle arrive from Derby County in September 2020, the former England youth international made eight appearances for United before they were relegated back to the second tier later that term.
Despite struggling for opportunities in South Yorkshire, Lowe excelled for Forest during their march towards Wembley - featuring 22 times and scoring once before featuring as a substitute towards the end of last weekend’s victory over Huddersfield Town at Wembley.
Lowe and Bogle cost a combined £4.25m when they were lured away from Pride Park by Heckingbottom’s predecessor Chris Wilder.
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Hide AdBogle is currently recovering from an injury which has ruled him out of action since mid-February. It is not yet known if he will be declared fit in time for the start of the new campaign, which is scheduled to start on July 30.
Speaking to journalists during a round table interview designed to outline among other things United’s recruitment strategy, Bettis insisted that Heckingbottom is under “no pressure” to sell Lowe thanks to another round of wage reductions which kicked in following their defeat to Forest.