Gustavo Hamer has agreed personal terms for a potential move to Leeds United, according to Transfer Watch.

The Dutch outlet reported on their website on 27 August that Sheffield United are prepared to cooperate on a transfer for the midfield star if the Whites put a big offer on the table for their Player of the Season.

All parties are said to be hopeful about getting a deal done in the next few days, although according to The Star on 26 August the £13million bid from Elland Road was rejected as derisory.

However, if they had made the same offer earlier in the window it would have already been successful, given Alan Nixon reported via Patreon (26 August) that the Dutchman had a relegation release clause in his Blades deal that let him leave for the same price he moved to Bramall Road for a year ago – £13m plus extras, taking the deal to around £15m.

That clause his now expired, and BBC Leeds’ Adam Pope reported on 26 August that he didn’t expect the club to up their offer for Hamer.

Leeds United beaten by Sheffield United clause as well as their own

If the Whites aren’t going to increase their offer then it looks like the terms agreed with Hamer will be for nothing since Chris Wilder made quite clear how far off the bid was.

The 27-year-old would be an excellent Leeds United signing for the Championship campaign so it will be hugely frustrating that a deal could essentially have been done by now if the club had timed it right.

The irony also won’t be lost on a fanbase that has now been through two summers of their own players leaving the club at the drop of a hat thanks to release clauses inserted in their contracts.

Leeds could have taken advantage of the same dynamic in reverse this time, and the bid that has been rejected would have been successful if it had been made before the clause expired.

So it looks like a massive missed opportunity by the Whites, who continue to fall foul of relegation exit clauses whether in their own squad or elsewhere.

Hamer, with his goals and assists from midfield would have surely been an upgrade on functional central options last term after being the Blades’ best player in the Premier League.

But, just as the club were apparently unprepared for clauses in Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville’s contracts to be triggered, were not ready to swoop in and bring a rival star to Elland Road.