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Reports: Antonee Robinson heading to Sheffield United

Antonee Robinson is reportedly on the verge of a move to the English Premier League.

Sheffield United has had a bid of roughly $2.6 million accepted by Wigan Athletic for Robinson’s services, Sky Sports reported Monday.

Robinson had been linked with a move away from the Latics, with AC Milan, Leicester City, West Ham United, and West Bromwich Albion all in the mix for his signature. Hammers boss David Moyes even watched Robinson in action when Wigan Athletic tied Charlton Athletic 2-2 earlier this summer.

AC Milan was linked to Robinson in the January Transfer Window, but an irregular heart rhythm found in his medical forced the Rossoneri to pull out of a proposed $10 million deal.

Following Wigan Athletic’s relegation to League One last week, a clause in Robinson’s contract would allow teams to pay roughly £6-8 million less than previously expected for his services.

The 22-year-old left back was one of Wigan’s top performers this season, his first since joining the club on a permanent move from Everton. Robinson made 39 combined appearances for the Latics, scoring one goal and adding one assist. He was also named to the EFL Championship Team of the Week on several occasions.

Born in England, Robinson has earned seven caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team, but only one since Gregg Berhalter took over as head coach. He played 80 minutes in a 1-0 friendly loss to Jamaica back in July 2019, but also remains a potential Olympic option for the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team due to this summer’s Olympic Games being postponed to 2021.

Sheffield United finished ninth in the EPL this season, with a late-season slump costing the Blades a chance at European competition.

Comments

  1. If Aaron long gets his transfer finally and Yedlin stays in the EPL we could have an all premier league back line next year. I don’t think the USMNT has ever had that kind of luxury. With Brooks and Dest in the mix a few of them would be reserves as well. Defense could once again be a big strength for the US going into qualifying

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    • * 2010 USMNT WC squad!! US had multiple players, playing/starting in England, Germany, Denmark, Scotland, and Mexico. I’m not saying this generation isn’t awesome, but Lando, Buddle, Bornstein were the MLSers on that team, I think.

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    • From the games I saw they played 5 in the back and tried to counter which would suit his game as he can get forward and put in a good ball. He will have to compete for a starting position but for the price why not. Better chance at playing time than Milan. He said in an interview a few weeks ago playing time is more important than going to a big club at this stage in his career so I would assume he thought about his options.

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  2. If you’ve seen him for Wigan you know his defense has improved immensely. He’s young, and a few poor performances for the USA doesn’t mean he needs to be a winger.

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  3. The question would be, how much would they play him. Midtable, 2 points behind Arsenal, low goals allowed already, top handful defenses in the league. He might offer more offense but for less defense. They had low goals for and zero GD so they might take the risk. Or maybe he’s a bench attacking option.
    I would like to see someone try him as a winger. He can motor down the line and hit a cross. Thus far he’s not much of a defender. Most players who people have said would figure that out, don’t. I don’t think Yedlin has, despite talk to the contrary. So don’t fight your essential self.

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    • I’ve heard that he’s made lots of strides in his defensive work over the course of this season. Have you seen him recently enough to say that he’s still not much of a defender, or is this based on previous international play?

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      • In fairness to you, no I didn’t see him in C’ship. In fairness to you, Wigan had a merely OK defense — not the prototypical relegation sieve — they were even GD +1 which is mindblowing for getting relegated (how bad does your coach have to suck for that to happen, you score more than you allow and not only aren’t midtable, you’re bottom 3). However, IMO NT games are a control group of sorts. Players from various leagues at various levels show up and then we cut the crap and here’s how they look. However, his track record is what it is — and I wanted him to start at back early on based on those assists. However, “I’ve heard,” to me, starts hopeful often ends up with “Yedlin” when they show back up. To me the knack for playing defense cannot be taught, it’s like a nose for goal. Both he and Dest are jumpy and back in the day when defense was taken more seriously they would have been moved forward as youth players. They have talent on the ball but diving in at back is a recipe to get abused.

      • Thought Wigan was only relegated because they were docked points (maybe 12?) as a result of going into administration. On the field, they were mid-pack in the Championship, so their stats were much better than those of a “true” relegation team.

        Anyway, the price seems kind of low for a kid that was wanted by a few clubs and who is moving to the Premier League. Maybe it’s a fire sale price, since Wigan is going down.

      • what Johnny 99 said. Wigan were only relegated because they were docked 12 points for going into administration (basically the same as declaring bankruptcy). They finished 13th ahead of QPR prior to the point deduction being applied.

      • Wigan went into administration, which is why they were docked. Administration is akin to bankruptcy. They would be selling off their players because they are both broke and being relegated, and quickly because they need cash as opposed to playing chicken with the deadline and seeing if this time the transfer goes through and they don’t have to pay his salary. He is in demand for his crossing. I will believe he’s fixed himself if/when international soccer starts back up, if he gets a cap. And he’s at a competitive position so we’ll see about that.

    • Antonee Robinson last played for the USMNT in June/July of 2018…he’s had 2 years to work on the defensive side of his game. Towards the end of this season he was named to he Championship team of the week multiple times. He was set to be sold to AC Milan this past winter transfer window….and now has secured a move to the an EPL side on the cheap due to Wigan going into administration….any reasonable offer must be accepted.

      If he sees minutes with Sheffield United there is no earthy reason not to bring him into a USMNT Camp for a closer evaluation. With Antonee as the LB it’d allow Dest to play his preferred (more natural) RB position.

      That’d place Dest & Reyna paired on the Right side (dangerous attacking combinations) and Antonee & Pulisic paired on the left.
      If Gregg would go to a 4-2-3-1 or a 3-4-3 formation we’d have plenty of defensive coverage to allow for 2 attack minded Outside Backs.

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      • Who would be in the 3-4-3 line up, or who would be the 10 in the 4-2-3-1 which I like better

      • You’re more likely to see a 4-1-2-3. Yeuill will drop back between the CBs and Adams and McKennie will play as duel 8. Reyna and Pulisic as inverted wingers as they play with their clubs and a CF up top. People think Robinson is downgraded at LB for his defense I think it’s actually his ball possession and ability to combine. He can get forward and whip a cross but I don’t know if he can play Pulisic into the spaces he wants. I’d still vote for Cannon on the right and Dest on the left.

    • I’d rather keep one of the world’s top young RBs at RB. Shoehorn Cannon or Yedlin at LB or Robinson, but I see no reason to compromise Dest’s abilities at all.

      Specifically to Robinson this will be a very good test for him. He has obviously caught the attention of scouts across Europe, so am anxious to see what they have seen. I have not watched him play outside of his few caps with the US.

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      • It’s not really shoehorning though considering he’s played on the left for his club before. He likes to cut inside on his right anyway. Yes maybe it drops Dest a little but if Cannon at RB is an upgrade then you have to do it. If Berhalter wanted to play a low block and counter and ARob could just bomb down the flank and hit crosses sure, but that’s not how we’re going to play. Listening to Scuffed the other day and they talked about a Yeuill likely starting because he makes the unpredictable pass that breaks down defenses, Robinson is the definition of predictable (like Yedlin). I think Robinson will draw the Pulisic dejected face 30 times a match because he can’t get him the ball.

      • From what I can tell he only played 70 mins at LB for Ajax vs 2000 mins at RB. I like Cannon, but I’d rather Dest be played at his best position.
        So much of this depends on how Berhalter decides he wants to space the field though. How does he want to set up the midfield, where is Pulisic’s starting position and how do we best place players around him to maximize his opps?

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