Sheffield United Sealed their faith back to the Premier League with three games to spare. Elevating the money problems that they had this season and in the past. A three-month transfer embargo was enforced on the club, and wages for a period of time remained unpaid. That’s a thing of the past, as Premier League football is back at Bramall Lane. But what lies ahead for United? What code do they need to crack to survive for the longest time in the Premier League. Join us as we investigate what Sheffield United and their board need to do in the hopes of retaining Premier League status next season.
How well will Sheffield United do in the Premier League?
Until the first few games of the season, one really cannot tell as the season is long and with a lot of ups and down in the pipeline. Something that looks to be set in stone is that there won’t be a repeat of the 2019 spending spree. Current owner Prince Abdullah has made his intentions clear that he is more inclined to do business in the loan market rather than splashing the big bucks on a player or two. Taking a look at the automatically promoted clubs last season and how well they did, both Fulham and Bournemouth managed to remain in the Premier League, Fulham being more capable of competing than Bournemouth.
The secret sauce is recruitment, taking Fulham last season as an example. After bombarding the Championship and finishing the season as Champions, they added Andreas Pereira from Manchester United for less than €10m, Bernd Leno from Arsenal for €3.6m, João Palhinha from Sporting for €20m, Carlos Vinicious from Benfica for €5m and Willian on a free from Corinthians. For less than €40m, they managed to rope in quality signings whilst adding depth in areas where they might lack legs to sustain the season. A similar tactic needs to be applied for a successful season in the Premier League, scouting out-of-favour players who want to prove their worth and are willing to take a pay cut or move for a minor fee. Bournemouth had contrasting favours despite not being relegated. After a horrid opening few games, which saw Scott Parker being dismissed, Gary O’Neil stepped in and worked wonders with the squad available. The English manager opted to rally the troops and harness a sense of togetherness in a team that, by the looks of it, looked destined for Championship football again. Wins against Liverpool, Tottenham, Leeds, Leicester and Southampton all but secured safety.
Premier League experience
Apart from looking elsewhere to bolster their chances of safety, Paul Heckingbottom has a great asset in his hands. This intangible asset is experience, a total of nine players from the starting XI stayed at the club since that last top-division outing, with only Aaron Ramsdale and David McGoldrick having moved on from the team. Extending the stays of Oliver McBurnie, Oliver Norwood, Jack Robinson, and Wes Foderingham makes sense. They can all have a role to play next season, even if they’re not necessarily starting every week. Ben Osborn’s versatility puts him in the same category. But surely the time has come to bid farewells to John Fleck, Enda Stevens and 37-year-old captain Billy Sharp. All have earned their place in United folklore, but the time has come for fresh blood and freeing up these wages will help.
Cash in on Iliman Ndiaye?
A little over a year left on the Senegalese international’s contract, do they extend his contract or do they cash in? He will surely be of interest for top clubs in the Premier League, if not do they opt to keep him at the club in the hopes that he can help the team push towards safety, securing another year of Premier League football which would offset his departure in the summer of 2024 on a free. There are plenty of ways to go around this situation.
In terms of quality, Ndiaye brings a lot to the table and would surely help the team push towards safety but should they opt to cash in, they will be running the risk of either bringing somebody in that might not fit into the system or club making the whole ordeal for nothing and basically going backwards. With him in the team, the manager knows what he is going to get, and any player at his level would want to impress at any given chance.
Before the season starts there would always be those clubs that you would pinpoint as favourites to go back down, and Sheffield United are one of those clubs, but that should not limit the motivation or desire to make an impression and have a crack on completing a seemingly impossible task.
FAQ – Get to know the club
When was Sheffield United last in the Premier League?
The last time Sheffield United played in the Premier League was in the 2020/21 season when they finished rock bottom, following their first season in the Premier League in 2019/20, where they finished ninth.
Has Sheffield United ever won the Premier League?
No, The Blades are yet to win a trophy since 1925.
Who is the manager of Sheffield United?
The current manager of Sheffield United is Paul Heckingbottom
Who is the best player for Sheffield United?
Iliman Ndiaye is currently the best player for Sheffield United, who scored 14 goals last season in the Championship.
What is Sheffield United’s nickname?
Sheffield United are known as The Blades.
What is Sheffield United’s Stadium called?
The official home of Sheffield United is Bramall Lane.