Sheffield United close in on former Everton man after Nottingham Forest’s Lewis O’Brien decision

The Blades are close to agreeing a deal with former Everton midfielder Tom Davies, who is a free agent after leaving Goodison Park

Sheffield United are close to agreeing a deal with Tom Davies. The former Everton midfielder is a free agent after leaving Goodison Park in the summer.

Yorkshire Live understands talks between the 25-year-old are at an advanced stage and are now progressing. Manager Paul Heckingbottom had hoped he could add to his squad before Friday’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest.

If a deal can be done this week for Davies, he would become signing number seven of the summer but he is unlikely to go straight into the team given his lack of match fitness having been without a club all summer.

And, according to reports, Sheffield United see Davies as a better alternative to Lewis O’Brien. The midfielder has long been on their radar but Forest do not want to loan him to a rival and want around £10m for a permament move.

That has led Heckingbottom and co to focus on Davies.

Although the transfer blueprint this summer has been to sign young players with potential, Heckingbottom wants to move away from that in the closing weeks of the window and bring in more experience.

Davies certainly fits that bill. He came through the Everton academy having joined the club at the age of 11 and went on to make 155 Premier League appearances for the Toffees.

He also represented England throughout the junior teams, featuring from under 16s to under 21s. He last featured for Everton as a 69th-minute substitute in the 3-1 home defeat to Fulham on April 15.

His last Premier League start came in January in the 4-1 defeat at home to Brighton.