Sheffield United starlet opens up on future plan after Kai Havertz compliment and wholesome Blades admission

Louie Marsh is hoping to have the opportunity to continue impressing at Sheffield United beyond the closure of the transfer window, despite conceding that he trusts manager Chris Wilder enough to leave his boyhood club on loan if it is deemed the best move for his development. The 20-year-old made his first senior start for the Blades in Tuesday night’s EFL Cup tie against Wrexham and marked it in fine style, with a goal in United’s 4-2 victory.

That saw the Blades book a second-round clash against neighbours Barnsley and continue their winning start to the season, with Marsh one of a number of youngsters to impress. Oliver Arblaster has been the recent poster-boy for the academy but he is far from the only impressive young player to have graduated from Shirecliffe, with Sydie Peck and Femi Seriki amongst those to also catch the eye against the League One side.

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Marsh is making up for lost time after injury cut short his loan spell at Doncaster Rovers last season and scuppered his dreams of potentially making a Premier League debut before the end of the Blades’ relegation season. But he was involved in the squad for the opening-day win at Preston North End and could be involved again this weekend against QPR, especially if Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s loan move from Crystal Palace doesn’t get over the line in time for him to be involved against the London side.

Speaking about the possibility of leaving the Lane on loan again before August 30’s transfer deadline, Sheffield-born Marsh admitted: “It’s not a conversation I’ve really had with the gaffer. But if the gaffer wants me to go on loan, then obviously that’s the best thing that we both agree to do. But if he wants me to stay here, I’d love to stay here. This is a club that I really want to be at, and really want to push myself to do very well at.”

Marsh, a talented attacking midfielder not too dissimilar in the way he plays to former Blade David Brooks, was also compared to Arsenal star Kai Havertz by United assistant manager Alan Knill but is keeping his feet very much on the ground. A boyhood Blade who used to attend United games with Arblaster, the dream is for both to share a pitch but the level-headed youngster knows that the hard work is still ahead of him.

“I live a few doors down from Blaster so I’ve grown up with him,” Marsh added. “I’ve seen him take his chance so well and I want to do the same. To play at Bramall Lane was special. I’ve played here with the U21s as well obviously, and I’ve cherished that every time. Whether there’s a big crowd or not, because this is what I dreamt about doing as a little kit.

“I think there was 10,000 or so here [against Wrexham] and that meant a lot to me. There were a lot of my family up there, my brother and all his mates as well. So when I scored, I cheered up to them. A lot of my friends are Sheffield United fans as well and I could see them in the crowd. This place means everything to me, really.”