Sheffield United bagged a steal with £2m transfer gem | OneFootball

The Championship promotion specialist continued to back that up throughout his time at Bramall Lane

Oliver Norwood entered himself into the Championship history books in the late 2010's as he won three consecutive second-tier promotions for three different sides.

After finishing 10th in their first season back in the Championship in the 2017/18 campaign following promotion from League One, Sheffield United looked to bring in players who would help them make that next step up into real promotion contenders.

The likes of John Egan and David McGoldrick were brought in permanently, and Dean Henderson excelled on loan from Manchester United in goal, but one loanee, who would become a permanent signing that January - Norwood - stood out among the rest.

Norwood had won the league with his parent club, Brighton and Hove Albion, in the 2016/17 campaign.

Then, he was loaned out to Fulham at the start of the following season and won promotion through the play-offs. However, the midfielder was very much seen as a squad player on both sides, and deemed not good enough to continue with the team in the Premier League.

That was definitely not the case at Sheffield United, as he instantly became a fan favourite at Bramall Lane, secured the promotion three-peat, and finally made his Premier League bow.

Ollie Norwood's Championship impact at Sheffield United was immediate

Originally brought to Bramall Lane as a loan option at the beginning of the season, Sheffield United had already agreed a £2 million deal with Brighton to make the move permanent that January, and Norwood's performances during the first half of the season had the Seagulls wishing they'd held out for more.

Norwood arrived at Sheffield United three games into the 2018/19 term, and if it wasn't for those three games, he would have started all 46. Chris Wilder made him an important member of the squad, and the midfielder paid him back with a number of tidy performances and nine assists across the campaign.

By the time his deal was made permanent at the beginning of January, the then-27-year-old hadn't missed a minute of league action. He played 90 minutes in all but two of his 43 games, playing 72 in a 4-0 win over Reading in February, and was substituted at half-time on the final day against Stoke City.

On that final day, a third straight promotion for the former Brighton man was already confirmed, and there was no doubt that the Blades were going to hold a Premier League debut away from their midfield maestro during the following campaign.

Ollie Norwood stepped up to the Premier League with Sheffield United with relative ease

Sheffield United's first season back in the Premier League for 13 years was a huge success, as the Blades wound up finishing inside the top half - an incredible achievement for a newly promoted side.

The £2 million man continued to impress throughout his debut campaign in the top flight, as the Northern Irishman started all but one game, making a small cameo towards the end of their final day defeat to Southampton.

Additionally, when Billy Sharp wasn't starting games, which happened more often than not during the 2019/20 Premier League campaign, Norwood was entrusted with the captain's armband and led the side out on numerous occasions.

Sheffield United's sophomore year didn't go as planned, as the club lost 29 of their 38 league games and finished rock bottom. Norwood would finish the season making 13 consecutive starts, after being in and out of the side to begin the campaign.

Now, he had the chance to once again shine in the Championship, but after being cast aside by Brighton and deemed not good enough for the top flight, Norwood had at least proved he could hold his own in the Premier League.

Ollie Norwood has to go down as a modern-day Sheffield United great

As was the case in his one prior Championship year at Bramall Lane, Norwood was one of the first names on the team sheet for the next couple of years, as Sheffield United finished inside the top six for two straight years under Paul Heckingbottom.

After losing in the play-off semi-finals in the 2021/22 campaign to eventual promotion winners Nottingham Forest, the Blades ensured that they were going to finish inside the top two the following campaign, ending the season with a comfortable 11-point gap on Luton Town in third place.

Norwood started each of the opening 36 games of the season before losing his place throughout the run-in. He also played a key part in the side's run to the FA Cup finals, starting at Wembley in a 3-0 loss to Manchester City.

He initially played a key part in the club's return to the Premier League, too, but after Chris Wilder returned to replace Heckingbottom in December 2023, he started just four more league games and was left on the bench eight separate times. With his contract up, he departed at the end of the campaign.

With over 250 games and two Premier League promotions under his belt at Bramall Lane, Norwood departed the Blades a hero. There, he was able to achieve that Premier League debut which had alluded him, despite winning promotion twice before, and for just £2 million, the midfielder was definitely worth the money.