5 Sheffield United transfer mistakes the club must try not repeat in January 2025 | OneFootball

With the January transfer window fast approaching, we take a look at five times Sheffield United got a signing very wrong

With the January transfer window right around the corner, Sheffield United will duly be looking to bolster their ranks and cement their spot at the top of the table.

After finishing rock bottom in the Premier League last season, a return to the top flight would be the perfect response from the Blades, and they might be leaning on January to make that dream a reality.

Over the years, there have been a few occasions where they have most certainly got it wrong in the transfer market - mistakes they will want to avoid a repeat of.

With that in mind, we dive into a list of five players who were terrible pieces of business for Sheffield United. Their squad may already be strong, but Chris Wilder will want to avoid making similar mistakes when the January window rolls around to make sure United remain contenders for the title.

Rhian Brewster

Currently still contracted to Sheffield United, it is safe to say that signing Rhian Brewster for £23.5 million was not the club's greatest piece of business. To put it bluntly, the striker has made 91 appearances for the Blades and only managed five goals.

Brewster's signing came with a lot of hype, as he was only 20 when he signed for Sheffield United. However, he has failed to kick on. The most notable instance of his lack of quality came in the 2020/21 Premier League season, where he made 27 appearances, scoring no goals and providing no assists.

Brewster has been constantly impacted by injuries, and is currently out until late November.

Oliver Burke

Another forward who has found it impossible to score, Oliver Burke, joined Sheffield United for an undisclosed fee in 2020. In two seasons with the Blades he made 36 appearances and registered two goals as a striker - hardly an impressive return.

Sadly for Burke, he has struggled for goals wherever he has gone, never managing to find the net more than four times in a single season. This was another signing that Sheffield United fans will want to forget in a hurry.

Laurens ten Heuvel

Having joined Sheffield United from Dutch side Sportclub Telstar in the summer of 2002, the Blades thought they had signed the next big thing. Ten Heuvel had scored 20 goals in 31 Eredivisie games for the club. However, his form did not carry over into English football.

The striker only managed five appearances for the Blades during six months in the second tier, before being loaned out to Bradford City. He also failed to impress with the Bantams, making a further five appearances and scoring no goals. A final loan spell with Grimsby Town followed before he was released from his contract after just one year with United.

Chris Hussey

Universally recognised as one of Chris Wilder's worst ever signings, left-back Chris Hussey featured just seven times for Sheffield United during his one-year stint with the club.

Luckily for Wilder, Hussey was not emblematic of his two tenures at the club, which have been filled with some excellent transfers and smart moves. Unfortunately for the player, though, Chris Hussey was not one of those signings.

Kean Bryan

Signed from Manchester City on a free transfer, Kean Bryan was meant to be a good up-and-coming choice after impressing at Oldham Athletic at the age of 21. However, Bryan was sent out on loan to Bolton Wanderers as he struggled to break into a side on course for a top-half Premier League finish.

During United's second consecutive season in the Premier League in 2020/21, Bryan managed 13 league appearances, but the Blades were relegated and endured a grim campaign. He was released at the end of his contract and forced to retire at the age of 27 due to an ongoing knee injury.