How Sheffield United hope to repeat Man City transfer trick as they target loan market

Any clubs who trust Sheffield United with the development of their top young talents, next season and beyond, can be rest assured that there will be no stone left unturned in making them better players and people.

United have utilised the loan market well in recent seasons, with the likes of Dean Henderson and Morgan Gibbs-White both enhancing their reputations by impressive temporary stays in South Yorkshire. Last season, Tommy Doyle and James McAtee overcame frustrating starts after signing on loan from Manchester City to establish themselves as key members of Paul Heckingbottom’s squad and helped the Blades win promotion to the Premier League, as well as reaching the last four of the FA Cup.

United privately accept that they will be unable to work with both men again next season, despite their wish to do so. Premier League rules prohibit clubs lending more than one player to a domestic rival at one time and despite initial hopes that Doyle may be attainable on a permanent deal, the salary he earns at the Etihad Stadium would likely prove prohibitive to any deal.

Some coaching staff at Bramall Lane privately suspect that McAtee may also be loaned elsewhere next season, in a bid to take him out of his comfort zone rather than return to the familiar environment at United. But with a modest budget of £20m placed at Heckingbottom’s disposal for permanent signings, there will be a heavy emphasis placed on the loan market again this summer and Stuart McCall, the United assistant boss, has opened up on the time and commitment top Premier League clubs can expect to be invested in their starlets if they are entrusted to the Blades.

“You’ve got to put time into all your young players,” the former Scotland international said. “Last season we had a few young lads like Brooksy and Blaster and Will and Jebbo with us and you’ve got to put the time in with them. They were all chomping at the bit to be involved. I still try and help the likes of Flecky and Ollie but they’ve been there, seen it and done it.

“They’re always open to chatting but with the younger ones, you’ve got to input the time to make them better. And that certainly gets done here, right the way through the academy. If you come here at half seven in the morning you’ll see kids getting coached and that’s brilliant. They certainly get the time and the energy from the coaches here, the players. Especially the young ones.”

McCall worked closely with Doyle during his time at Bramall Lane, which was hampered early on by a succession of injuries that kept him sidelined. “So he needs to build his body up, first and foremost!,” McCall smiled.

“But I just like the way he goes about his business, he passes the ball with such intent and purpose. Ollie Norwood was outstanding for us last season so for Tommy to come in and take his place shows how well Tommy did as well.”