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Football

21st Sep 2020

Ravel Morrison poised to join new club after Sheffield United release

Simon Lloyd

Morrison’s return to English football appears to have been short-lived

Former Manchester United prodigy Ravel Morrison appears poised to join a new club following his release by Sheffield United in the summer.

Morrison signed for the Blades ahead of their return to the Premier League last season after impressing on a trial. However, he was  unable to make enough of an impact at Bramall Lane to earn a contract extension – his appearances for Chris Wilder’s side limited to one substitute appearance in the league and three starts in cup competitions. He was loaned to Middlesbrough in January but that deal was cut short when Neil Warnock replaced Jonathan Woodgate as manager.

Now, according to Omroep West in the Netherlands, he is likely to sign terms with ADO Den Haag after undergoing a medical. The Eredivisie club will be the 12th stop of a nomadic career for Morrison, who famously came through the youth ranks at Manchester United alongside current first-team members Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard. Despite being highly regarded at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson reluctantly agreed to sell him to West Ham in 2012.

Despite a memorable solo goal against Tottenham, it didn’t work out for Morrison at in east London. Loan moves to Birmingham, Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City followed, before he was eventually sold to Serie A club Lazio in 2015. It was a similar story in Rome, where a lack of first team opportunities resulted in more loans. A second spell with QPR was followed by a period with Mexican side, Atlas.

After leaving Lazio, Morrison trained with Östersunds FK, eventually earning a short-term contract. His form for the Swedish club – then managed by Englishman, Ian Burchnall – convinced Wilder to offer him the chance of a trial in Sheffield and an unexpected route back to the Premier League. It now appears his days in the English top flight may have been brought to a permanent end.