“Unbelievable” Sheffield United new-boy showing signs of lifting Iliman Ndiaye gloom

But as the world keeps on turning and Unitedites face up to life without their prized asset for next season and beyond, a player who has indicated that he could be capable of lifting some of the gloom currently enveloping Bramall Lane could already be in the building. Anis Slimane has shown already in his formative Blades career that he has moments of real quality, fitting in nicely amongst his new teammates and scoring his first goal in United colours in United’s latest friendly at Derby County on Saturday.

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Slimane, who rifled home the rebound after Ndiaye’s shot was superbly blocked on the line by Sonny Bradley, has been particularly impressive in linking up with George Baldock down the Blades right in his outings so far, offering some hope for the new campaign that United can survive without Ndiaye’s presence.

Boss Paul Heckingbottom has been keen to stress that none of his summer signings so far - Slimane joined at Bramall Lane by striker Benie Traore and left-back Yasser Larouci - are by any means the finished article, with United’s coaching team working hard with the Tunisian international to improve his goal-threat. He put one effort just over the bar, after some lovely interplay, shortly before scoring and Heckingbottom said: “I’m pleased with that. One of the things I spoke to him about before he came was getting into the box more.

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“I think he will feel like I am getting on to him a lot at the minute but it’s because I want him to understand what we want from that position and that role. He’s working really hard and is taking everything on board. The games are the best place to practice, it and it’s important he gets feedback from that as well.”

Slimane will get his first taste of Bramall Lane this weekend in United’s final friendly against Stuttgart, before the start of the Premier League campaign a week later against Crystal Palace. “You can tell straight away that he’s got moments of quality,” Baldock added of Slimane. “He showed with the goal and other little bits and bobs.

“He’s obviously very good with the ball and now it’s just learning the Sheffield United way, out of possession and pressing hard and winning tackles and things like that. He’s shown unbelievable signs of what he can do and he’s also a fantastic lad, so he’s fitted in really well.”