Slavisa Jokanovic
Slavisa Jokanovic says he does have a transfer plan in mind regarding replacements and is ready to act should Sander Berge be sold in the summer transfer window. Jokanovic has reiterated his desire to see the player remain in red and white as he puts together his plans for an assault on the Championship promotion places. However, he is well aware of the need to be in a position to act should he be sold. Speaking to Yorkshire Live from the club’s hotel in Marbella, he revealed the latest regarding Berge’s future.
Slavisa Jokanovic said: “I expect to see him when we come back in England. I will have an opportunity to talk with him and to understand if these things (reports) are true. We will see what happens. This player is still part of my team and I am thinking about him. I will start thinking about him in this situation if Sheffield United make a decision to sell him. At the moment, as we speak, he is still a Sheffield United player and I am seriously thinking about how I use him. I will repeat, this club advised me one month ago the possibility exists that he might not be part of my team. I hope that will not happen. But if that happens tomorrow (sale), I need to find a different solution. The club informed me about this for a reason, so that we can move and be ready for this situation to happen.”
Jokanovic added that Berge has a ‘minor’ fitness problem, which is why he has not travelled with the players, but he expects that to be ‘sorted soon’. United paid £22m for him last January from Genk and he has a £35m relegation release clause in his contract which, if met, will mean he is free to leave. He has posted several updates on Instagram as he takes part in personal fitness sessions away from the club, having returned to the United team towards the end of last season after five months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
