Sheffield United teammate drops big John Egan future hint amid Nottingham Forest transfer links

Speculation over the Sheffield United future captain John Egan has intensified today after one of his Bramall Lane teammates appeared to suggest that the Republic of Ireland international would be leaving Bramall Lane this summer. The 31-year-old is now officially a free agent after his Bramall Lane contract officially came to an end over the weekend.

Egan returned to Shirecliffe last month to continue his rehabilitation from an Achilles injury that prematurely ended his campaign last season, but he has reportedly attracted interest from two clubs to remain in the Premier League after the Blades’ return to the Championship. National reports over the weekend suggested that Nottingham Forest were one of the sides, ahead of Joe Worrall’s possible summer departure - with the Blades, ironically, one of the clubs interested if and when their ongoing takeover process is completed.

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There has not yet been any official confirmation of Egan’s next steps, with Daniel Jebbison and Oli McBurnie also now officially free agents. But Egan’s teammate Jili Buyabu has offered the strongest possible hint that the defender may be heading to pastures new this summer after posting an Instagram story featuring a picture of the Irishman, with the caption: “My brother John will be missed.”

With Jebbison turning down United’s offer of a new contract to remain at Bramall Lane the Blades have already lost 12 players from last season’s squad, including their cohort of loan players, with Cameron Archer’s imminent return to Aston Villa topping that up to 13 this summer. Egan’s fellow defenders Chris Basham, George Baldock and Max Lowe have also left United after being released, while Anel Ahmedhodzic could also leave ahead of the closure of the current transfer window at the end of August.