"A perfect addition" - Sunderland urged to complete signing of Sheffield United stalwart | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

With a difficult season now finalised for Sunderland, their attentions can turn to the transfer market and investing into the squad for the 2024/25 campaign.

Rumours and speculation are already starting to grow, and now, according to Football Insider, the Black Cats are among the clubs to have registered their interest in signing Sheffield United’s Oliver Norwood.

The Blades have confirmed that the 33-year-old will depart Bramall Lane once his contract expires in June, meaning he has already played in his final game for the club, with the South Yorkshire outfit suffering relegation back to the Championship this year, and losing on final day to Spurs at Bramall Lane.

However, Sunderland will face competition from Hull City and Watford in the race for the deep playing playmaker during the off-season. Unsurprisingly, that is due to the fact Norwood has plenty of Championship and Premier League experience, having earned promotion to the top-flight twice during his time with Sheffield United.

Not only are second tier sides interested, but a number of MLS clubs are also keen on Norwood's signature, who could opt to make the switch across the Atlantic during the twilight of his career instead of remaining in English football.

Oli Norwood linked to Sunderland; would be a "great" signing

The metronomic midfielder's presence has been influential in the Blades’ recent success as a Championship side, having secured two promotions from the second tier over the past five years, and three times in total, which also includes his days with Fulham.

The promotion specialist is a man who has been there, seen it, and done it when it comes to the second tier, having played ten seasons at the level during the course of his career, with two ending in promotion to the Premier League.

We asked FLW's Sunderland fan pundit Jack Austwicke his thoughts on the potential signing of Norwood. He said: "I think Oli Norwood would be a great signing.

"That's the kind of experience you need at this level.

"Championship experience and a solid, solid player for this level. "He would be a perfect addition into our team. I really hope we do what we can to fend off offers from other clubs. "He would be a perfect Corry Evans replacement and I think we could be all over it. "I'm just a bit worried we're behind and he might go elsewhere.

Norwood and Sunderland's recruitment model

It's fair to say that he feels very un-Sunderland-like in terms of their recent signings' profiles, but Norwood could be exactly what this young group needs - both in terms of his quality but also in leadership terms, too.

Whether it is his ability to make a team tick with near-perfect retaining of possession in the middle of the park, his ability to pick out a teammate with a length of the pitch pass, or chipping in with the odd goal here and there, Norwood is a man who oozes class with the ball at his feet at this level.

While the exuberance and enthusiasm of youth can get you so far, sometimes there is a need for an old head to guide those fresh faces through the difficult times, just like Sunderland had in the final few months of the season. Norwood would address that and doesn't rely on superior speed or athleticism, meaning he could well play at exactly the same standard he was five years ago.

Signing a few players in Norwood's age bracket may be the sign of a side learning their lessons by adding much-needed experience to the team who were the youngest by average age in the division last term.