Sheffield United transfer pitch plays out amid Chris Wilder transfer claim over Leeds target Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

When Chris Wilder sat down and created a detailed transfer pitch to try and entice Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to Sheffield United, amid serious competition from the rest of the Championship, part of his pitch was the experience of playing in front of an electric atmosphere at a rocking Bramall Lane. Yesterday, on his full league debut against Watford, the exciting youngster felt it for real.

Rak-Sakyi, Wilder claimed, was wanted by three-quarters of the Championship and was also the subject of two £15m bids, one of which was understood to have been from United’s rivals Leeds United and another from a side in the Premier League. Daniel Farke’s side also made a play to sign the Crystal Palace starlet on loan but he was persuaded to travel to South Yorkshire after being enthused by Wilder’s vision for him in a red and white shirt.

United strike perfect balance in "proper performance" v Watford win

He has had to be patient for a breakthrough moment as he gets up to speed physically and even yesterday he could only play just more than an hour before being replaced. But in that time, as he has in every other cameo so far since arriving, he showed exactly why he was in such demand with a dangerous and direct performance that saw him almost get on the scoresheet early in the second half before his shot was deflected over the bar.

“In our pitch I said how important Bramall Lane was,” Wilder said. “There were two £15m bids for him and three-quarters of the Championship sides in for him as well. Part of the pitch was him feeling what he felt today. For him, for Jamie Shackleton, for Michael Cooper, it was big and hopefully they've enjoyed their first win in a red-and-white shirt.

“He [Rak-Sakyi] is going to be a player. There were two big bids for him to Crystal Palace, one out of our division and one out of the Premier League. We beat off a whole host of Championship clubs. All the players wanted to come here. And if I was a player, I'd want to come here on days like today as well."

United player ratings gallery as Blades end long hoodoo v Watford

It was the Blades’ first home league win since early December’s 1-0 victory over Brentford and ending that hoodoo was vital for the club’s supporters as well as players, Wilder acknowledged afterwards. “Incredibly important,” he said. “Sky are talking about us not winning for however long and you have to accept that is a fact.

“But this is a brand new team, playing in a different way and with new players. The disappointing thing is we didn't nail it down [in the 2-2 draw against QPR last time out at home] but the good thing is that it's a group who want to learn and listen and want to be coached. They're a proper team. It was a proper team performance right the way through.”