2 players that Sheffield United should look to sign before September 1 deadline ft Burnley's Manuel Benson | OneFootball

Sheffield United should be looking for more fresh faces before next week's transfer deadline

Sheffield United have begun the new Championship season in dismal form under new boss Ruben Selles, and will be looking to utilise the market as much as possible before the end of the window.

Former Reading and Hull City boss Selles would have been hoping for a brighter start to his tenure at Bramall Lane, having lost each of their opening four games of the season, including all three Championship games.

The Blades sacked former manager Chris Wilder over the summer after narrowly being defeated by Sunderland in the play-off final last season, despite the Englishman having amassed 90 points in the league.

The club has since gone down an AI-driven recruitment route, bringing in the likes of Ehije Ukaki, Mihail Polendakov and Christian Nwachukwu from the Bulgarian top flight, whilst Djibril Soumare and Nils Zatterstrom have joined the club from Braga and Malmo, respectively.

This so far has not paid dividends, and with the Blades having lost the likes of Vinicius Souza, Anel Ahmedhodzic and Kieffer Moore from last season, more work must be done in the window if they are to finally find gear this campaign.

Football League World has identified two realistic potential transfer targets the Blades should pursue before the end of the window to bolster their struggling squad.

Harrison Reed

Reed, 30, joined the Cottagers in the summer of 2020 from Southampton following a successful loan spell with the club in the Championship the previous season, in which they were promoted.

The English midfielder became a regular fixture in west London over the next few seasons, but has seen his game-time decrease in the past couple of seasons following the arrivals of Sasa Lukic and Sander Berge.

Reed played just 12 times in the Premier League last season for the club, amassing just 98 minutes of league football, the least of his career since the 2016/17 season at Southampton.

He has appeared as an unused substitute in each of Fulham's opening Premier League games so far, with Marco Silva seemingly preferring the aforementioned Lukic and Berge to Reed.

It's clear from their opening few games that Sheffield United are lacking a natural defensive midfielder that can screen the back-line effectively following Vini Souza's departure, but Reed is someone who can do that.

Djibril Soumare signed on loan from Sporting Braga earlier this summer, but Reed provides Championship experience - and promotion-winning one at that.

Still under contract until 2027 with an option for a further year, Reed could be available on the cheap before the end of the window should Fulham look to move him on, and Sheffield United should be alert to Reed as a potential Souza replacement.

Manuel Benson

Belgian winger Benson has found himself out of favour in Scott Parker's plans at Burnley, having appeared in neither of the club's matchday squads in the Premier League so far this season.

Signed from Pro League club Royal Antwerp under then-manager Vincent Kompany in the summer of 2022, Benson enjoyed a successful first season in England, scoring 11 times and assisting a further three in 33 league games as the Clarets won the Championship title.

Injuries largely kept Benson out of action the following season, making just eight appearances in the Premier League as Burnley were relegated at the first time of asking.

Last season didn't go any better for the 28-year-old, having sufferred an achilles tendon problem for much of the campaign, making just five appearances across all competitions.

Now in the Premier League again, it's unlikely that Benson will be guaranteed minutes in the top flight, so a move either permanently or on-loan could be on the cards.

Sheffield United have already brought in Tyler Bindon, Louie Barry and Soumare in on loan, so they will have to bear in mind not to go over the five-player loan limit in a matchday squad should Benson join on a temporary basis.

His contract at Turf Moor expires in 2027, so a loan move to Sheffield United could provide Benson with some much-needed game time and give competition to Tom Cannon and Andre Brooks, who have been used off of Benson's favoured right flank.