How Sheffield United player has picked up the baton from Morgan Gibbs-White and Iliman Ndiaye

Somehow they always seem to find one…that special player who can make all the difference in a tight game. Gus Hamer is the latest in a trio of stand-out talents powering a potential Sheffield United promotion bid. But in all three cases they have something else in common. They are terriers for the team.

This, as much as skill, is what earned unstinting admiration for Morgan Gibbs-White during a top six campaign and then Iliman Ndiaye in the ensuing promotion of two seasons ago. Ditto now for Hamer. And as with his two predecessors in the role of matchwinner-in-chief, the biggest challenge will be keeping hold of him.

Gibbs-White is well established as the creative heartbeat of Nottingham Forest while Ndiaye is also now starring in the Premier League having joined Everton from Marseille. The reason is they bring more to the table than just technical ability; tenacity comes with it.

You see the same now with Hamer (three goals in five unbeaten league games this season). He showed enough of his craft allied to graft in the top flight last season to demonstrate that he could be an ace card for United in this one. So far, that’s the way it’s proving.

A true top Blade has to buy into the club’s earthy work ethic, of course. No passengers allowed. Not in a low budget outfit that has to perform to its maximum. All of this was evident again at Hull last Friday when the attacking midfielder’s opening goal, superbly taken on the run, led to a well deserved 2-0 victory.

Hamer, worth more already than the £15m paid to Coventry just over a year ago, has the heart and hunger to go back to the top and succeed in a big way. Leeds United clearly felt the same amid their thankfully failed bid in the transfer window.

At 27, Hamer should be at his peak and if Chris Wilder’s team are in serious contention come January, I can’t see his head being turned easily after becoming such an important player here. After all, there was no agitation from him to join Jayden Bogle at Elland Road when he was bound to know of the interest.

Equally, the club should remember that keeping hold of Ndiaye during the mid-season window of 2022-23 played a huge part in the eventual promotion under Paul Heckingbottom. Replacing outstanding individuals is quite a trick that United seem to have perfected. A bigger one would be keeping them.

As for the “see it to believe it” takeover saga, there may be reasons on both sides for its very possible and, if so, predictable fizzle out. Perhaps Prince Abdullah sees more benefit from staying on, if he ever seriously wanted to sell in the first place? Or maybe the would-be buyers have hit a glitch?

Whatever the reason, I honestly think it’s wrong that, four months on (four months!), the club’s hierarchy has yet to utter a public word on this subject. It’s not disrespectful to us lot in the media, but I do find it insulting to supporters when such a huge fundamental issue is airbrushed into oblivion.