Why Sheffield United should repeat Aaron Ramsdale approach with Sander Berge as silly season begins again

That glorious period of rumours, baseless facts and self-styled ‘in-the-knowers’ on Twitter and the likes. The hope, expectancy and often disappointment when your club is linked with the next big thing, so often described so on the back of a few grainy YouTube clips and a cursory look at his stats on Wikipedia or Fifa 23. Drink it in, comrades. ‘Aaand it’s live.’

Expectations for Sheffield United fans in this window have perhaps already been set; mostly frees and loans as boss Paul Heckingbottom targets “six or seven positions” to reprofile his squad.

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Even more so than usual, with the season starting earlier than ever, time is of the essence and United – like most clubs, actually – aren’t adverse to leaving things late in the window. Sometimes, though, the approach can pay off.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s loan deal last season came about very quickly, a day before the deadline, and that didn’t work out too badly, for any of the three parties involved. If he had been fit and firing for the full season, in a side playing with the verve and swagger they showed under Heckingbottom, then Sander Berge would have surely run Gibbs-White close for the player-of-the-season award. But with promotion not achieved, his future is once again under the microscope this summer.

Do United stick or twist? It’s an interesting conundrum that, without exaggerating, could shape the immediate future at Bramall Lane. On last season’s viewing, when in full flow, there were not many, if any, more dangerous-looking midfielders in the league. Replacing Gibbs-White’s creativity will be difficult enough. But Berge’s driving runs from deep, the way he can breeze past opponents with a deceptive turn of pace and that giant frame, as well? Impossible, surely? Without a big chequebook at least.

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At the same time, playing one season in the Championship, never mind two, would not have formed part of Berge’s career plan and although he diplomatically declined to comment on his future whilst away on international duty with Norway recently, the news that his representatives are sounding out top-flight clubs to gauge any possible interest doesn’t come as a massi… sorry, huge surprise.

Agents work for players, and subsequently themselves.

But United need to be similarly single-minded about this situation and look after their own interests. How much would a sale now hinder next season’s promotion bid? Is it worth sticking now, having another shot at promotion and possibly taking a hit next summer?

To United’s credit, they refused to be bullied by Arsenal over Aaron Ramsdale and only caved when an acceptable bid came in and the player began to agitate for the move, and the Berge saga could be another interesting subplot to this year’s instalment of silly season.

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Some of the names linked with United will be credible, some ridiculous. Agents will tout players around, trying to drum up an auction, while clubs can play the game too; some even denying any interest in a player while he is in the building undergoing his medical.

It's wacky, wild and sometimes wonderful. As Fabrizio Romano will soon tell his gazillion followers… Here we go!

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