Why former Sheffield United favourite Jan Åge Fjørtoft believes Sander Berge will thrive under 'best teacher' Chris Wilder at Bramall Lane

Berge joined Chris Wilder's Blades in a £22m deal last week and made his debut on Saturday at Crystal Palace.

The 21-year-old is already a fans' favourite at Bramall Lane - a tag that was also enjoyed by Fjørtoft, who scored 23 goals in just 36 starts in his spell at United in the 1990s.

Fjørtoft is still remembered fondly by Blades supporters - many of whom remember the so-called 'Black Thursday' when United sold him and strike partner Brian Deane on the same day.

And Fjørtoft, now working as a pitchside reporter alongside running a communications company, believes Berge's move to Bramall Lane is perfect for all concerned.

"Norway is a small nation but we have a good generation at the minute, with the likes of Sander and Erling Braut Håland and Martin Ødegaard at the minute. They all have great attitudes as well as ability so United have done well to get him.

"Call me old fashioned, but I think it's OK to have players who are likeable!

"He'll see it as a big move. It shows Sheffield United mean business and that this is the kind of player they can attract.

"With young players I always compare clubs with colleges, in terms of their education. And the move Sander has made, just like Erling did to Dortmund, is spot on. I understand that Sander wanted to play in the Champions League for Genk but now, it was the right move for him.

"United in a way is the perfect college for him, and he's got the best teacher in Chris Wilder. He will understand that Sander will have good and bad games, but that he is there to fill a role.

"I saw him say what every foreigner does when they come to England about the unbelievable tempo, but he's clever enough to cope with it.

"When I moved to the Premier League, it was different to what I'd been used to and I thought I had to change my game. There'll be times when Sander can't get hold of the ball for 20 minutes and he'll have to be true to his ability. But he's quite good at that.

"When things get tough he will always demand the ball and calm it down. I think Sheffield United's way of playing will suit him very well."

Fjørtoft was back at United earlier this year and visited Wilder and his staff at the Blades' training ground, where Berge was one topic of conversation.

"Three weeks before he signed a Norwegian, Chris has a Norwegian in his dressing room... yes, we talked about Norwegians," Fjørtoft, now 53, laughed.

"But the move was nothing to do with me, I must stress that! I just confirmed what a great kid Sander is and that he's a player I rate highly. We covered a lot of topics.

"I was fortunate to spend the day with Chris and Mitch [head of recruitment Paul Mitchell] and the rest of his staff. We spoke a lot about how the club is developing and Chris is so, so clever.

"He lets people call him a 'typical English manager' but when you speak to him, you know he's one of the most modern coaches about. And that pulling power should never be underestimated.

"United is a club with foreign owners but there's still a family atmosphere. I wasn't surprised because you English are good at that, but I'm so glad I had that day with Chris."

Fjørtoft joined Barnsley on 'Black Thursday' while his strike partner Deane went to Benfica and United, perhaps unsurprisingly, didn't win promotion that season.

"I still have fond memories of the club," Fjørtoft added. "I was asked recently what I remember about my time at United and I said 'good people, and a lot of goals!'

"My scoring record at the time was one of the best I ever had. I used to love doing my aeroplane celebration in front of the Kop. Sheffield was the only place I ever bought a house, in Dore, and I thought I'd stay there for the rest of my football life.

"A lot of Norwegians will come to Bramall Lane to watch Sander and be amazed by the atmosphere and how passionate the fans are. He's under a football man in Chris and at a club that wants to go places. Now the rest is up to him."