Five days into the January transfer window the Blades’ rumour mill has turned slower than usual. Often late December sees a few names begin to murmur. Last season it seemed an eternal wait from midnight New Year’s Day for Ben Brereton Diaz’s inevitable return to Bramall Lane.

One of the first new links of the 2026 January window has seen the Blades linked with a Championship midfielder. Birmingham City’s Marc Leonard, 24, has been linked with a departure from St Andrews by Birmingham Live’s Alex Dicken.

Leonard joined the Blues in 2024. Helping them gain promotion back to the Championship but how could he add to the Blades.

Youth Days

The Scottish youth international began his youth career predictably in Scotland with Rangers and Hearts of Midlothian. After four years with Hearts, he moved to Brighton and Hove Albion in 2018 aged 17.

Leonard’s best season in Brighton’s academy came in 2021-2022 scoring four goals and contributing three assists in 22 Premier League 2 games. In the same season he made his professional debut in the Seagulls 2-0 win over Cardiff City in the EFL Cup.

Northampton Town Loans

2022-2023 saw Leonard embark on the first of two loans with Northampton Town. The first season gave Leonard his first real taste of senior football and a promotion from the fourth tier. He played 45 league games getting one goal and one assist. Earning himself a return to the club on loan as they entered League One.

2023-2024, Northampton Town were back in League One and Leonard continued where he’d left off. Only this time he proved more impressive. He played every league game scoring five goals and adding six assists. In a campaign that saw Northampton finish 14th and Leonard named the club’s Player’s Player of the Year and Fan’s Player of the Year.

Birmingham City Transfer

His form for Northampton saw him move permanently to League One super team Birmingham City. Of the 46 games that saw the Blues earn 111 points Leonard played 35 of them. He contributed four assists to his side.

He also played seven times as the Blues came runners up in the EFL Trophy final.

This season Leonard has featured in 15 Championship games starting just five times. His total minutes currently add up to 685 minutes.

He recently played around an hour against the Blades coming on in the 30th minute at Bramall Lane. Leonard finished the game having made the most tackles of any player on the pitch with five.

Takeaways

Leonard has clearly proven himself in the lower leagues of the EFL. With Northampton and Birmingham City. His current lack of playing time in the Championship makes his second tier pedigree hard to judge. He has done well in the fleeting appearances he’s made but hasn’t pulled up the trees required to bench Tommy Doyle or Seung-Ho Paik.

Ultimately, he is still early on in his career at 24 and becoming a Championship regular is clearly the next natural step.

If there is truth to the rumours the link to Leonard is important regardless of whether he signs or not. It suggests that Chris Wilder and his team are looking to add to the midfield. Leonard wouldn’t be a bad option but in a time where every signing hitting the ground running is critical. A more experienced option at the level would be more useful. Especially considering the youthful ages of Peck, Arblaster and Soumare.