Never mind the quiet deadline day... this window has been a good one for Sheffield United

Although Jim White and his yellow-tie brigade at Sky Sports would try and make you think differently, transfer windows last for longer than a single day and although today passed without incident at Sheffield United, that shouldn't mean that the late summer window of 2020 should be seen as a failure.
Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe joined Sheffield United from Derby County during the transfer window: Darren Staples/SportimageJayden Bogle and Max Lowe joined Sheffield United from Derby County during the transfer window: Darren Staples/Sportimage
Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe joined Sheffield United from Derby County during the transfer window: Darren Staples/Sportimage

United's wishlist at the start of the season would probably have read something like: Goalkeeper; wing-back cover and competition; centre-half and central midfield cover; striker. Check, check, check and check.

Yes, there have been targets missed out on. Antonee Robinson would have been an intriguing signing had he not chased the pound notes on offer at Sunday's opponents; Terence Kongolo's stats and playing style seemed perfectly suited to covering Jack O'Connell's absence, before that move broke down as well.

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United were unwilling to meet Reading's asking price for John Swift, with John Lundstram staying put in any case. Chris Wilder was linked all summer with a manner of foreign signings, including the likes of Emmanuel Dennis and even Napoli superstar Hirving Lozano.

In the end, United's summer business followed a familiar pattern; young, hungry players on an upward curve, or with points to prove.

The headline move was Rhian Brewster, signed from Liverpool for a club-record fee and tasked with scoring the goals to fire United up the table.

There's a fair amount of pressure on the young man's shoulders, but one doesn't play for Liverpool without being exposed to that. Those who know him better describe a natural-born goalscorer, who now has the opportunity to play games in the Premier League and forge a career (and maybe even earn a move back to Anfield).

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At one stage, Oli Burke was as highly rated and bad players do not tend to command two £15m fees by their early 20s. His move back to England with West Brom didn't work out, by his own admission. But there is clearly a player in there, and the value of having a point to prove cannot be underestimated. It has been one of the driving forces of United's success under Wilder.

So has recruiting young talent with the potential to step up, again seen in Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe. The actual fee paid for the Derby pair was much lower than the one peddled in the media and in the fleeting glimpses we have had of the pair, they look like sound recruits.

Ethan Ampadu, on loan from Chelsea, is still a boy that plays like a man and Aaron Ramsdale again highlighted his ability and attitude with a penalty save with England U21s in the week, after being farcically penalised against Turkey.

He had huge shoes, and gloves, to fill after Dean Henderson returned to Manchester United, but the signs so far are good. There's a long way to go this season, but for my money United are stronger at the beginning of this season than they ended the last.

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