Opinion: Sheffield United Should Target Young Premier League Winger | OneFootball

As Sheffield United head into the summer transfer window to prepare for the 2025/26 Championship campaign, it’s imperative that they bolster their attacking options, particularly out wide.

The Blades deployed a 4-2-3-1 shape for most of the season but would end up using 4-4-2 in the last couple of regular season games, as well as the play-off matches. While a traditional system, with more directness, yielded better performances and more goals in the play-off semi-finals against Bristol City, it became apparent, in the second half, in the final against Sunderland that United just lacked depth for the system.

As has happened for most of the season, Tyrese Campbell would be substituted off between the 60-minute mark and 70 minutes, and once this happened in the final, the Blades lost the ability to run down the channels or threaten the back line by running in behind. He was replaced with Callum O’Hare, which brought a change in shape and a completely different style of play.

Then, it certainly doesn’t help when your best player goes off injured a few minutes later in Gustavo Hamer. Ben Brereton Diaz, who I personally think was very poor in his loan spell this time around, would replace Hamer. But the Chilean would quickly pick up an injury himself.

Sometimes injuries cannot be helped. But, it most certainly helps having a like for like replacement ready, or at least one that can have a huge impact in his natural position.

This is something the Blades will need to fix over these next couple of months.

Of course, we don’t know the future of Gustavo Hamer, having been linked with a few Premier League clubs already. That being said, this player that I am going to suggest should be signed either with or without Hamer still being in the squad anyway.

Sheffield United Summer Signing Suggestion: Ibrahim Osman

GIRONA, SPAIN – OCTOBER 02: Ibrahim Osman of Feyenoord with the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between Girona FC and Feyenoord at Montilivi Stadium on October 02, 2024 in Girona, Spain. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)

Ibrahim Osman, 20, was signed by Brighton & Hove Albion for a reported £16 million from  FC Nordsjaelland last summer, and then the Ghanaian was later sent out on loan to Dutch club Feyenoord, who ironically is Hamer’s boyhood club.

Now, on paper, people may think this is a highly unrealistic target given that he made seven Champions League appearances. However, in 32 total appearances for Feyenoord, he started just ten times. After ending his loan spell as a substitute, netting four goals and three assists, Feyenoord have turned down their option to buy him permanently.

Brighton have been one of the best teams in Europe over the last few years at identifying talent and also gradually progressing their players. So at a guess, I expect the Seagulls to find Osman another loan spell this summer, preferably one that will see him start a lot more than ten times in all competitions.

Having watched a few of his games last season, it’s clear to see what his strengths are. He is very fast as well as powerful in full stride. He can play on the left flank where he cuts inside, or he can play on the right as an old-fashioned winger where he beats his man on the outside and then either drives into the box and cuts it back, or fires a cross in, which is something we hugely lacked last season from open-play.

With Jesurun Rak-Sakyi going back to Crystal Palace following his loan spell, the Blades need two right-wingers in my opinion, if we’re going to continue with this 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 shape. And then at least one left-winger is needed, or two if Hamer leaves plus another one that’s capable of playing as a number ten – which is where I believe Ilias Chair would be the cheapest and closest thing we could get to Hamer.

Osman gives us that pace factor among the front four, again, something we lacked considerably once Tyrese Campbell and even Rhian Brewster went off in the play-off final. Ultimately, I think that was the difference between the two sides; Sunderland had Eliezer Mayenda and Romaine Mundle starting, and then had Patrick Roberts, Wilson Isidor and Tom Watson as quick and nimble impact players off the bench.

Outside of Campbell and Brewster, can you really say the Blades had quick attackers to bring on off the bench? Ben Brereton Diaz is explosive in straight line speed when he has space to run into, but he is far from a skillful player or a good dribbler. Andre Brooks is a great athlete, but he doesn’t really use pace; he’s more of a strafe dribbler who uses balance and agility to beat his man.

If it’s a possibility to bring in Osman then I don’t see a downside to signing him on loan. He isn’t going to slice open a team with passing, like Hamer does, but he is a handful in one-vs-one’s.

Compared to attacking midfielders and wingers in the Eredivisie last season, he ranked in the 93rd percentile for progressive carries, 98th percentile for carries into the penalty area, 99th percentile for take-on attempts and 87th percentile for successful take-ons. The downside to his large volume of take-ons is that naturally he will have a lower success rate; he’d be an alien if that wasn’t the case. Nevertheless, he’d be a great weapon to have.

Brereton Diaz and Rak-Sakyi going back to their parent clubs means two spots are open for wingers, and to be honest, I wouldn’t mind seeing Andre Brooks go out on loan – he clearly has good attributes, but his composure and decision-making under pressure needs improvement. And if Hamer is sold in the coming weeks then that’s at least four wingers needed (and preferably one that can also play as a ten, cough cough Ilias Chair).

A dark horse is our very own winger, Christian Nwachukwu. He is similar in style to Osman, but as of now, Osman is more proven in Europe, and I’m more inclined to trust a Brighton signing for the future using their trusted model over United’s brand new model who invested in Nwachukwu as a signing for the future back in January.

Again, Jefferson Caceres is another one who can play an inverted left-winger, but having seen him in action for the Sheffield United development team, I think he looks some way off being involved as a Championship player, especially for a team that will be aiming to finish in the top two in 2025/26.

All stats taken from FBref.