Nine key men for Sheffield United this season as they bid to bounce back into the Premier League

Jokanović has certainly not been shy of experimenting in United’s warm-up games so far, as he gets to grips with the squad he inherited from Chris Wilder earlier this summer.

But who will be United’s key men when the season gets underway? Our man Danny Hall took a look…

Aaron Ramsdale

This one speaks for itself really, and depends on him still being a Sheffield United player when the transfer window slams shut at the end of this month.

Ramsdale has emerged as a top target for Arsenal this summer after being named in the England squad for the Euros, but the Gunners have so far refused to meet United’s valuation of the goalkeeper who was named United’s player of the season last year as they were relegated from the Premier League.

Ramsdale overcame a slightly rocky start to his second spell at Bramall Lane to establish himself as one of United’s most consistent performers, and will surely begin the new season as one of the Championship’s best goalkeepers.

Jokanović’s squad needs work elsewhere, but the goalkeeping set-up is very strong as it is. And as Dean Henderson showed last time out, a promotion push can be built on such solid foundations…

John Egan

United’s skipper in Billy Sharp’s absence, the Republic of Ireland defender was a key man in United’s last promotion push and, after two seasons in the top flight, will be desperate to get back there.

One thing the centre-half may want to add to his game is goals – he was known as a player who could chip in with a few a season from corners, but has only hit the back of the net three times in three seasons for the Blades.

Ollie Norwood

A player Jokanović knows well from their time together at Fulham, Norwood seems to have been earmarked for a key role in the centre of midfield for United and noticeably dropped a lot deeper in the friendly against Doncaster Rovers when the Blades lined up with a back four in the first half.

Norwood had a difficult time of it in the Premier League last season – and was far from alone – but is a proven promotion winner at this level, and his range of passing is invaluable for a United team playing on the front foot. It would be unwise to write him off at this stage.

John Fleck

Likewise his midfield teammate, the Scottish international Fleck. When he plays well, United tend to play well as a result and even though he tends to start seasons slowly, there will be few better midfielders in the Championship when he is on form.

Keep an eye out for the role Fleck plays this season – against Doncaster, he seemed to have been asked to play in a more advanced position and set up Lys Mousset’s second goal with a lovely through-ball.

Sander Berge

Another choice that depends on him remaining a Blade, but if he does stay at Bramall Lane then it would be like having a cheat code in the Championship. When fully fit, Berge glides across the turf and makes the simple things look, well, effortless.

The way he drives forward with the ball, all arms and legs, makes him very difficult to dispossess and it is an attribute that could work very much in United’s favour if he is still here when the first ball of the season is kicked.

Rhian Brewster

A young man still searching for his first goal in Blades colours, it would certainly appear the case that Brewster is struggling under the weight of expectation after becoming the most expensive player in Sheffield United’s history last season.

But he is also a player with a recent history of scoring goals in the Championship, netting 11 in 22 starts on loan at Swansea, and if he gets that first strike out of the way early in the season, then the hope at Bramall Lane is that he will go from strength to strength.

Lys Mousset

The Frenchman has surely put himself in pole position to start the first game of the season with three goals in United’s first two warm-up games, looking noticeably hungrier on the pitch in the process.

As I wrote recently, the penny must drop with Mousset soon when it comes to United and, if it does, then United have a player on their hands who could potentially be worth many multiples of the £10m they paid Bournemouth for him.

Pace, power, finishing ability – the lad has it all. Marry that up with the bit between his ears, and it could be a scary proposition for Championship defences.

Oli McBurnie

Another striker written off by sections of the United fanbase, but one that did finish the club’s top scorer in their first Premier League season and another with a recent history of scoring second-tier goals for Swansea.

McBurnie has torn United apart, playing for Barnsley and the Swans, playing in a different way to how he has been utilised for the Blades so far, and is a better footballer than he is given credit for.

Could his resurgence come from being played as a wide striker in a front three?

Billy Sharp

In the twilight of his career, but a striker who has made a living out of putting the ball away. Sharp seems to get fitter as he gets older and will be determined to prove there’s life in the old dog yet.

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