Sheffield United are handed their Premier League action plan to maximise top-flight opportunities

But there are still plenty of issues off the pitch which need addressing in order for it to maximise its potential and give Paul Heckingbottom the best possible chance of building on the progress he has overseen so far.

The Star’s James Shield identifies eight things United must do, sooner rather than later, in order to ensure the opportunities top-flight status brings do not go to waste.

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REGAIN CONTROL OF CONTRACTS: Let’s be frank about this. It’s ridiculous that 11 permanent members of United’s playing staff are, on the face of it, about to become free agents next month. Yes, many of their agreements have extension clauses within them, a large portion of which are loaded in the club’s favour. But all these do is kick a huge can down the road. Renegotiating the ones Heckingbottom wants to extend, whilst also trying to build a squad capable of remaining in the Premier League, could be a recipe for chaos. Bramall Lane’s administrative department could be working overtime for a year or so. And, whether they stay up or go back down, it won’t help Heckingbottom - or United’s results - if he is forced to build a new starting eleven from scratch.

COMPROMISE WITH ILIMAN NDIAYE: Unless there’s a danger the lights are going to get switched off, United’s hierarchy mustn’t even contemplate selling the Senegal international this summer. If he goes, the money they receive won’t be enough to acquire a replacement of comparable quality. So Heckingbottom’s squad will start a top flight campaign weaker than when it was in the Championship. You can’t blame Ndiaye’s representative for refusing to tie his client down to a new long term deal. But why not offer him one, which boosts his pay to reflect the lad’s stature, containing an artificially low release clause. That way, Ndiaye gets regular PL football and United will gain a little more protection around their most valuable asset.

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IDENTIFY NEW TRAINING GROUND SITE: Yes, United’s top brass have made improvements to the facility. Many of these are cosmetic, such as building a recreation area for the players. Others are sports science related. But the complex where Heckingbottom’s side prepare for matches isn’t up to PL standards. Most of their former second tier rivals have access to better too. With little room to expand, United need to either find a new location, build on it and ensure their latest promotion delivers some sort of lasting legacy. Or, failing that, purchase a plot of land nearby to address the issue below.

TAKE GENUINE STEPS TOWARDS CATEGORY ONE STATUS: If United are genuinely serious about preserving their reputation as one of the country’s best youth development centres, they need to take serious steps towards gaining the above. Otherwise, given recent changes governing the transfer of young players, all of their good work in this field will go to waste. They’ve already seen some of their best up-and-coming talents picked off by the likes of Tottenham Hotspur. Rather than just talk about it, United need to actually do. The money spent will be worth it in the long run.

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EXPAND BACKROOM STAFF: In order for United to enjoy the best possible chance of establishing themselves at the highest level, they must begin exploiting overseas transfer markets. Not because players from abroad are cheaper. They’re not. Rather, establishing PL standard scouting and information gathering networks abroad provides recruitment experts such as Paul Mitchell a bigger pool to fish in. One of his colleagues, Jared Dublin, left for Reading last term. Unless United have failed to announce a new appointment, he has yet to be replaced. Again, spending money in this area, or providing the required logistical support, makes perfect sense.

DEMONSTRATE WORTH OF UNITED WORLD: Establishing a multi-club model makes sense. So credit to owner Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his associates at its HQ in Geneva for their foresight. The only trouble is, other than a group wide kit deal with Errea, United have seen very little benefit from the project yet. Every player they have sent on loan to sister club Beerschot has struggled for game time, which suggests a lack of joined up thinking. In order to retain the support of fans in England, Belgium and to a lesser extent France, India and Dubai, where UW also has a footprint, tangible sporting results must be delivered soon. Of course, United could soon be removed from its umbrella if they are taken over. But that’s no excuse for inaction in the meantime.

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HELP HECKINGBOTTOM: It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to work out that the manager wasn’t aware United were about to be placed under a transfer embargo in January. He’s articulate enough to evade difficult questions but stated explicitly at the time that he wanted a couple of new signings to bolster his squad. A matter of hours later, it became clear this would prove impossible with the ban on processing registrations only lifted using monies generated by United’s march into the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Heckingbottom hasn’t complained. But better lines of communication, between boot room and boardroom, are clearly required.

SORT OUT EYESORE: What used to be the Copthorne Hotel, which bolted onto the side of Bramall Lane, still lies empty almost four years after it became a victim of the fall out between Prince Abdullah and former co-owner Kevin McCabe. And, there’s no point in denying it, the site looks a complete mess. The building, which is falling into a state of disrepair, does not project the image of an upwardly mobile club. It either needs reopening, which we’re told would require a financial commitment from United as well as their preferred operator, or selling and redeveloping. End of.