Sheffield United: Blades eyeing MK Dons midfielder Samir Carruthers

Although a deal has yet to be officially agreed between the two clubs, sources in Buckinghamshire report the 23-year-old is set to join another League One team after missing yesterday’s game against Chesterfield.

Robbie Neilson, the Dons manager, said: “When a player enters the final few months of his contract, there has to be a value on him.

“On the financial side, that money can go back into the squad and gives us an opportunity to bring more players in or spend a bit more money on better quality. That was the key decision for me.”

“Samir is a fantastic player, but the time of year it was and the time left on his contract, I had to make the decision and this is the right one,” Neilson added.

Carruthers, aged 23, started his career with Aston Villa before moving to stadium:mk, initially on loan, in August 2013.

A former Republic of Ireland under-21 international, he has made over 120 appearances for Dons and was a member of the squad which reached the Championship under Karl Robinson, now of Charlton Athletic, two seasons ago.