This summer window lasted a long, long time. It was only like a month in hindsight but god damn it feels like it was open for a full year. Perhaps that feeling of longevity was magnified by how Sheffield United experienced and participated in the window this year. Not signing a player until four days into the opening of the window (that isn't a lot of time but on United social media, it was a stone age). We then had a spate of signings, got everyone in before Watford, and then there was a deadline day where it looked like one of our star players was leaving, then he wasn't, then he was again, then he wasn't and, lo and behold, he's still here despite us apparently agreeing a fee for his replacement which thankfully was never needed. So, let's look back on the summer that never really ended.
Tommy Doyle Signed From: Manchester City Fee?: Loan deal until the end of the season Position: Midfield Previous Clubs: Manchester City, Hamburg SV, Cardiff City Honours: N/A After there was mild panic online that we hadn't signed anyone 4 days after the window opened, United finally entered the transfer market with the loan signing of Tommy Doyle from Manchester City. After a season on loan at Hamburg until the winter and then Cardiff until the end of the season, Doyle comes with a fantastic pedigree as a player with his grandfather's Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe both having long careers in football mainly for Man City. It's safe to say that Man City run deep in the Doyle family and Tommy is continuing that legacy, making 11 appearances for City already and getting 3 goals. The former captain of City's academy team, this is Doyle's 'making of' season whilst he's on loan with us. He does well, and he might be knocking on the door of Pep's first team XI. So far for United, Doyle has been steady. He's just had his first start for United as I write this and has been fairly influential so far including his second half stint against Luton. He's looked decent and you can tell he's definitely played football against older pros. He'll probably have a lengthy run in the team with John Fleck's injury and if he continues to play like he has, Flecky could find it tough to get his place back. Anel Ahmedhodzic Signed From: Malmo FF Fee?: Undisclosed 'substantial' fee Position: Defender Previous Clubs: Nottingham Forest, Malmo FF, Hobro IK, Bordeaux Honours: Allsvensken 2020, 2021 Despite more or less everyone who's anyone in the club saying we'd not be spending money this summer, United went out and bought a player for a 'substantial' undisclosed fee believed to be around the £3 million mark. So, who is the man we spent this chunk of change on? Anel Ahmedhodzic is a player who a lot of top level clubs have liked the look of. A Football Manager favourite, the tall Bosnian international has been linked with clubs like AC Milan, Chelsea and Manchester City to name but a few. So after all that, he's only gone and signed for Sheffield United. Of course, I'm being slightly jokey but a player linked with clubs of that calibre usually don't come to our fair stadium. How did we pull it off? Apparently, we've been in contact with Anel since at least January and even gave him a presentation on how he'd fit our system and that stuck with the then Bordeaux player. Come the summer, the funds were released to buy the man and, under the noses of Bordeaux, we secured his signature and he already looks like an absolute steal. Orchestrating games from centre back is something that you do not see often but Anel Ahmedhodzic has been doing just that. Linking play, popping up with shots and getting 3 goals already. He's been a revelation on the right and, whisper it quietly, could be the Chris Basham replacement we've been looking for. The king (could) be dead, long live the new Bosnian king. Ciaran Clark Signed From: Newcastle United Fee?: Loan to the end of the season Position: Defender Previous Clubs: Aston Villa, Newcastle United Honours: Nation's Cup 2011, EFL Championship Winner 2016-17 A slightly left field signing for United next, Ciaran Clark on loan came out of the blue. A stalwart of the Premier League and the Republic of Ireland, Clark has been a bit of subsidiary figure for Newcastle since Eddie Howe took charge in winter 2021 and, with his contract ending in the summer, United swooped in to secure his signature ahead of some competition. As mentioned, Clark is a player who's been around the block in the top two tiers of our national game with nearly 300 games in the Championship and Premier League over the course of a 14 year career. The Republic Of Ireland man comes with a winning mentality in this division as well as a very decent scoring record with 18 goals from centre back nothing to be sniffed at. Clark offers us more experienced competition after last season's injury debacle and has had a solid start to his United career before his injury at the back end of the month. A solid, if unspectacular, signing from United but those players sometimes turn out to be the best signings. Reda Khadra Signed From: Brighton And Hove Albion Fee?: Loan to the end of the season with the potential to buy Position: Attacker Previous Clubs: Borussia Dortmund II, Brighton And Hove Albion, Blackburn Rovers Honours: Under 17 Bundesliga West Winner 2017-18, Under 17 Bundesliga Winner 2017-18, Under 19 Bundesliga 2018-19 United have a slight penchant for signing players who have cracking games against us. Steve Kabba and Luke Freeman or two that immediately come to mind and Reda Khadra is the latest man to enter that 'good against us' bracket. After tearing us to shreds at Ewood Park last season and having a very good game at The Lane as the season came to a close, United secured a loan with the potential to buy Khadra in the summer if certain parameters are met during his loan period. Khadra is a player capable of getting you off your feet and has done so pretty consistently during his appearances in a United shirt with the highlight so far being a short cameo against Sunderland where he scared their backline to death with some speedy dribbling and close control. Another player with a good pedigree, Khadra will be a nice livewire player who looks like he will flit and dovetail with Ndiaye and our last summer signing who we'll get onto shortly. Early signs look positive so far, let's hope it continues! James McAtee Signed From: Manchester City Fee?: Loan until the end of the season Position: Attacker Previous Clubs: Manchester City Honours: FA Youth Cup Winner 2019-20, Man City EDS Player's Player Of The Year 2021-22, Premier League 2 Player Of The Month August 2021, Premier League 2 Player Of The Season 2021-22 Our final signing of the summer comes with a hell of a reputation in a relatively young career. A stand out year in Premier League 2 where he is the defending player of the year saw James McAtee move to Bramall Lane to get his first taste of football against tried and tested pros. A real favourite of Guardiola, it's full credit to United that we now seem to be tasked with helping develop some of the Premier League's upcoming top talent after the success we had with Dean Henderson and MGW last year. Already compared to former City impresario David Silva, McAtee is the current crown jewel of the City academy set up. So far, he's been fairly raw and has showed some shaky moments but there's also been flashes of a real player. Time will tell how successful James McAtee will be at Sheffield United but let's hope it will be a successful stint in Blades colours and we're once again thanked for doing a sterling job in a player's development. In conclusion, a very successful window all things considered. We've signed a lot of talent this summer with very high ceilings on a budget that looked a little bit shoestring when we started. Credit to Hecky and the recruitment team for maximising the hand they've been dealt with by getting some nice players who give us good depth in positions that looked stretched come the run in last season. Also, credit must go to the board for repelling some late deadline drama for Sander Berge. There was a tete a tete of information saying Sander was as good as gone at times but, lo and behold, he's still here and we look a hell of a lot stronger with him in the team than we would have done without him despite us apparently having a deal in place for a replacement should Sander have gone. It was all very un-Sheffield United but we're glad to be keeping our big Norwegian boy. There you have it then, time will tell whether these five men we've brought in will be remembered as United heroes or zero's but let's not think about that too much now. We've got Hull to reckon with first! Until next time, UTB.
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AuthorHi my name is John and i will be giving my thoughts on the blades matches and all blades related news in this section Archives
November 2022
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