Sheffield United cannot afford to stand still as eight-figure deals set Championship transfer pace
Sheffield United's summer has so far been dominated by departures - but with Stoke City, Norwich City and other Championship rivals beginning to flex their financial muscle, attention is now turning to when - and how - the Blades will respond.
The Championship transfer market is beginning to burst into life - and there is a growing sense that Sheffield United cannot afford to watch from the sidelines for too much longer. Stoke City are the latest club to flex their financial muscle, agreeing a £10m deal for former Blades target Ethan Galbraith.
Just last week another of United’s Championship rivals, Norwich City, raided Bramall Lane to sign Andre Brooks, paying a fee that United felt was too good to turn down. Wolves and Burnley, back in the Championship, are yet to splash their parachute payment cash; the likes of Birmingham City, Wrexham and Southampton will surely spend big again this summer.
Promotion is not won in June or July. Transfer windows are marathons rather than sprints, and plenty of time still remains for the Blades to build a squad capable of challenging for the top eight next season.
But perception matters too, with a fanbase looking on enviously around the league as clubs around them push out the proverbial boat. Neither Stoke nor Norwich have parachute payments and are bound by the same financial rules as United, although wealthy owners and cash from sales, in the case of the Canaries, will help.
Instead United's summer business so far has centred around departures. That was always going to be part of the plan, with Chris Wilder inheriting a bloated squad last season and one of his top priorities being trimming it.
But supporters will naturally want to see the next phase begin. The encouraging aspect is that United have not been sitting still behind the scenes. Targets have been identified across multiple positions and negotiations continue over several deals - including, as we revealed earlier today, a potential, sensational return for Jairo Riedewald.
Interest in the likes of Kalvin Phillips underlines the calibre of player Wilder wants to attract. But the sale of Brooks has also increased scrutiny on the ownership group. If that money is quickly reinvested into strengthening the squad, supporters may ultimately view his departure as a necessary sacrifice.
If rivals continue strengthening while United remain quiet, however, the questions surrounding the club's ambitions will only grow louder. Nobody will remember who "won" the transfer window if United are in the top eight come Christmas.
But neither does the Championship stand still, for anyone. And the next few weeks increasingly feel like they could shape not only Chris Wilder's squad, but supporters' belief that the Blades can keep pace with a division showing little sign of slowing down.