Stead Premiership bound

Former Rams loan player Jon Stead has signed for Sheffield United for an initial fee of £750,000 which could rise to £1.25million. The 23-year-old will signed a three-and-a-half-year deal at Bramall Lane today.

Stead cost Sunderland £1.8million when they bought him from Blackburn in the summer of 2005 but scored only one goal as the Black Cats were relegated from the Premiership. He found his goal scoring touch back at Pride Park this season and was a crowd favourite and went close to winning the Championship 'Player of the Month` last month. Rams boss Billy Davies was keen to bring the striker to Pride Park but their offer was turned down earlier this week by the Sunderland board. Rams Coach Davies was asked about the Stead deal yesterday and he said: "To be honest, I hadn't heard much about the Stead situation because we've been busy ourselves trying to make signings.

'If it is the case that he will join another club, then I wish him all the best.'


The Blades boss Neil Warnock, turned to Stead after claiming Preston striker David Nugent was 'outrageously overpriced'. With money to spend in the transfer window, it is believed Warnock recently made a club record-breaking bid of £6million via instalments for the England Under-21 international, which the Lancashire club turned down.

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