Hard to argue against Sheffield United's already drawn-up transfer template - Alan Biggs

The problem is they add up to just one single signing – so far – with the start of the Premier League season only four weeks away.

And reports of Olympique Marseille closing in on Iliman Ndiaye cast an even bigger shadow over the club’s preparations. An absolutely huge one. It would be a gigantic blow, even if it released funds.

That said, the template up to now, within strict financial constraints, is sound at least. Basically, the Blades have to replicate the best of what they did last summer.

Can they pull off an overseas snatch or two to mirror that of Anel Ahmedhodzic? Anything even approaching the value for money of Ahmedhodzic’s circa £3m capture from Malmo would be brilliant business.

To that end, the focus seems to have been on Sweden once more with the pursuit of Hacken’s Ivory Coast striker Benie Traore.

And on neighbouring Denmark re Brondby’s Tunisia international midfielder Anis Slimane, whose arrival was announced on Thursday.

There’s also a logical shape to the rest of it. Certainly a no-brainer to want back either Tommy Doyle or James McAtee from Manchester City. Either is worth waiting for.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom knows Everton centre back Mason Holgate from Barnsley, where he was manager at the start of the defender’s career.

Ex-Huddersfield midfielder Lewis O’Brien of Nottingham Forest is also a well-known-about attraction.

As I say, it all stacks up. But it needs to stack up in another way very soon.

The relatively slow movement in the market is no great surprise, though, is it?

Everyone’s card was marked pretty early about a budget, at £20m, that couldn’t even buy you one established Premier League player. And I do prefer honesty to pretence. Expectations have been kept low.

But now that one is through the door, there needs to be momentum built on the recruitment front to whip up a semblance of the excitement all Blades should be feeling right now – instead of a feeling of being in limbo.

You also wonder how much more attractive and valuable the club can be to potential buyers if it shapes up for making a real fist of a tough challenge.

Certainly it appears too late for any takeover to have a real impact on events on the field.

Which will again put the ball back into the court of owner Prince Abdullah.

And it’s been just as important for pulling power to further convince the likes of Ahmedhodzic, Ndiaye and Sander Berge that their future is best served staying at Bramall Lane.

United can ill afford to lose any of those three. They are virtually irreplaceable in the context of staying up – and would the departure of Ndiaye influence the others?

A solution is not easy to find as no-one is particularly to blame. So good luck in landing some of the names at the top of this column and the recruitment needs to be as judicious as previously to make a little go a long way – again.