Sheffield United Sign Promising Swedish Defender to Shake Things Up At the Back | OneFootball

Sheffield United have further bolstered their defensive ranks with the signing of highly rated Swedish prospect Nils Zatterstrom, who arrives at Bramall Lane on a four-year deal.

The Blades have paid Swedish Allsvenskan giants Malmo FF an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £2 million, according to multiple reports.

Nils Zatterstrom Speaks As A Blade

The 20-year-old defender, standing out for his imposing presence and athletic qualities, is delighted to be making the move to English football.

“I’m looking forward to getting started. The Swedish season started in January with European games so I’m ready to go. Sheffield United has a football-rich history and I can’t wait to play at Bramall Lane,” Zatterstrom told SUTV after putting pen to paper.

Comparisons have already been drawn to former Malmo and Blades star defender Anel Ahmedhodzic, who was sold to Feyenoord earlier this window, with Zatterstrom displaying similar tenacity and athleticism.

The Swede spoke about Ahmedhodzic’s successful spell at Bramall Lane: “He was a big player in Malmö and I followed his move here so it will be nice to follow in his footsteps.”

Despite his relative youth, Zatterstrom already boasts valuable experience. He has made 36 senior appearances for Malmo, featuring in Sweden’s top flight, competing in European competition, and earning his first senior cap for the Swedish national team earlier this year.

What Does Zatterstrom Bring to the Sheffield United Team?

Zatterstrom is seen as a natural fit for Ruben Selles’ system. Comfortable operating in both a back three and a traditional back four, he offers a blend of athleticism and aggression, as well as composure on the ball in dribbling situations.

With Zatterstrom possessing pace, this could significantly help Tyler Bindon, who doesn’t possess great speed and has looked exposed in defensive transitions. The addition of Ben Godfrey will also aid this weakness in United’s back line.

I believe Godfrey will mainly play at right-back for the Blades, and this could hugely improve Selles’ system. If Godfrey plays right-back, with Bindon and Zatterstrom as a pair in the middle, this would allow Harrison Burrows to continue to bomb forward with his excellent delivery from out wide without necessarily exposing United as much as what we saw against Bristol City for example.

From a basic analysis viewpoint, this could allow the back line to look something like: Godfrey in a right centre-back role, Bindon in the middle, and Zatterstrom as a left centre-back, with Burrows being in an attacking wing-back type of role. The acquisition of Zatterstrom allows this to happen because he has the pace and agility to cover the left-back area and balls behind the defensive line.

Unfortunately though, it appears as though Zatterstrom may not be eligible to make his debut against Millwall on Saturday with his transfer subject to transfer international clearance and relevant work permits being obtained.