Sheffield United to begin spending Iliman Ndiaye transfer fee

It was always going to be a tough ask for Sheffield United to recruit the quality required ahead of their Premier League return because of the lack of funds available to manager Paul Heckingbottom, who has said as much himself. 

But, after the sale of talisman Iliman Ndiaye to Marseille for in the region of £14m, the Blades are looking to bring more recruits through the door.

Heckingbottom and United felt that Ndiaye would stay at Bramall Lane after verbally agreeing on fresh terms, but a last-minute change of heart saw the Senegal international make the switch to his boyhood club.

The twenty-three-year-old was expected to spearhead the Blades attack as they looked to upset the odds and survive in the top tier this season.

Still, his departure has been reflected by the Premier League betting markets, which suggest little to no hope of beating the drop.

Before Ndiaye's departure, United had recruited striker Benie Traore from Hacken and Anis Slimane from Brondby for transfer fees, with Troyes left-back Yasser Larouci arriving on loan.

And while the Blades have always been expected to add more new recruits, they certainly have more wiggle room to operate in the transfer market after receiving a sizeable sum from Marseille for Ndiaye, a player United picked up from Boreham Wood's U19s team back in 2019.

What United lack are players who are readymade for the Premier League, and they appear unlikely to be able to bring readymade Premier League players into the building, according to Heckingbottom.

While there have been rumours of a deal to sign free-agent centre-back Axel Tuanzebe, who Manchester United recently released after coming through their youth system, reports suggest the first chunk of the Ndiaye money will be spent on acquiring Auston Trusty, a left-sided centre-back, from Arsenal.

Trusty, 24, joined the Gunners from Colorado in February 2022 and immediately returned to his former employers on loan.

But last season, Arsenal sent him to the Championship with Birmingham City, where he excelled in their defence and received rave reviews.

After proving his worth in the second tier of English football, the American could now make the step up at Bramall Lane in a deal rumoured to be worth around £5 million.

Signing Trusty would fit with Heckingbottom's approach of signing younger players who are coachable and could improve and be Premier League-ready in the future.

Although many questions still remain as to the identity of a replacement for Ndiaye, with a lack of goals evident in a strikeforce that consists of Oli McBurnie, Rhian Brewster and youngsters Daniel Jebbison and Will Osula, especially at the very highest level, which was United's downfall last time around.

If Trusty arrives from Arsenal, the Blades would likely have around £10 million left from the Ndiaye sale to spend on strengthening their attack with goals, which could be the difference between staying in the top flight or making an instant return to the Championship.

But who they could get for that fee remains unknown in a team expected to struggle.