Sheffield United will be better served by avoiding a new transfer deal for former Blades player Kyle Walker this summer.

The eventual Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and England right-back began his career at Bramall Lane before moving to Spurs in 2009, albeit he remained on loan in South Yorkshire for the first half of the 2009/10 season.

Walker joined Burnley last summer, but the 36-year-old failed to help the Clarets stay in the Premier League, making 36 appearances for the Lancashire club.

The former England international has indicated a desire to return to Sheffield United, but manager Chris Wilder must weigh a number of variables during the summer transfer window.

Sheffield United eye Everton man as Kyle Walker stumbling block develops; Toffees defender is a superior choice anyhow.

Walker is an all-time Premier League great, having won six league titles with Manchester City, as well as the Champions League, two FA Cups, and four EFL Cups.

However, having turned 36 last month, the former Tottenham player is no longer the world-class player he once was, and he has lost some of his previously scorching pace.

Meanwhile, according to the Sheffield Star, United are interested in signing Everton right-back Nathan Patterson, as getting Walker back to Bramall Lane would need him to accept a significant wage drop.

According to Capology estimations, the veteran earned a whopping £75,000 per week while playing for Burnley in the 2025/26 season.

Regardless of the financial aspects of any transaction, the Blades should prefer Patterson over Walker, despite the latter’s history at Bramall Lane.

Walker may be a better short-term alternative for Wilder’s men than Patterson, but he is approaching retirement age and cannot be expected to stay in South Yorkshire indefinitely.

In comparison, the Everton player is still only 24 years old and has a bright future ahead of him, as well as previous Premier League and Scottish Premiership experience with Rangers.

Dropping to the Championship might be a decent choice at this point in Patterson’s career, given he only made seven top-flight games for the Toffees in 2025/26.

However, if Wilder leads the Blades to promotion following his summer rebuild, the 24-year-old would be a greater asset to the Bramall Lane club than Walker, since he has the potential to develop into a better player while the former Manchester City star is on the decline.

Nathan Patterson might be a key component in Chris Wilder’s summer reconstruction.

Sheffield United entered the 2025/26 Championship season with the goal of achieving promotion after reaching the play-off final at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

However, a rocky campaign ensued, as former manager Ruben Selles was fired after a brief and disastrous managerial tenure, triggering Wilder’s return.

Wilder failed to build continuity at Bramall Lane, and the Steel City team ended 13th in the second division, 13 points out of the play-offs.

The Blades manager, who turns 59 in September, has made no secret of his willingness to make significant changes to his squad ahead of next season.

Patterson, who arrived from Premier League outfit Everton, would play an important role in the South Yorkshire club’s rebirth, but his game still needs to be improved.

Walker, on the other hand, would be at most a temporary solution, notwithstanding his sentimental attachment to Bramall Lane.