in BUCS:
Sheffield United have signed Charlton Athletic winger Ricky Holmes for an undisclosed fee.
Boss Chris Wilder, who is a fan of the pacey attacker from his spell as Northampton Town manager, had been pursuing Holmes, 30, since last summer and has finally secured his services after the Essex-born winger put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half year deal.
Holmes began his career in the youth ranks at Southend United before moving to Non-League Chelmsford City at the age of 17 where he was a fan favourite, scoring the winner in the Essex Senior Cup final in 2009 and making 215 appearances between 2005-2010, scoring 66 goals.
He then moved into the Football League on a free to Barnet before teaming up with Portsmouth and then Northampton Town, first on-loan and then on a permanent basis during Wilder’s spell at Sixfields, with the winger helping The Cobblers storm to the League Two title.
Holmes then signed for League One Charlton in 2016, impressing fans and boss Karl Robinson during his time in London, and he scored a free-kick against the Blades at Bramall Lane last term.
The winger was in attendance on Friday night after his medical as the Blades drew 0-0 with local rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the Steel City Derby, and he is likely to go straight into Saturday’s squad for United’s Championship away trip to Norwich.
The deal is a cash-only exchange but Charlton boss Robinson had previously expressed his hope that the transfer would include a swap deal with United’s Samir Carruthers.
The fee for Holmes is expected to be around £400,000.
