Sheffield United look like they might have yet another star of the future in Oliver Arblaster, if Paul Heckingbottom’s words on are him anything to go by.
Arblaster pushed into the United first-team picture last season and was very much a part of the squad that won promotion.
However, he was sent out on loan in the summer to Port Vale. It’s a move that has worked out brilliantly so far, with Arblaster impressing in League One and playing weekly.
And speaking about Arblaster to the Sheffield Star, manager Heckingbottom believes the teenager will be a big player for the Blades.
Paul Heckingbottom praises Oliver Arblaster
Speaking to The Star, Heckingbottom had positive words for the midfielder.
“He’s doing really well. It was the right thing to do, to send him out, for his development, but he would have got minutes here. Maybe not as many. It would have also helped us because he wouldn’t have counted as one of the 25-man squad, because he’s under-age, but I feel it would have been a really selfish decision, to keep him in,” Heckingbottom said.
“People know what we think of him, we think he has a real chance and potentially a real big future here. So it was important, in our eyes, that we got him out, playing games as often as possible. He’s done that and he’s performing well. It was 100 per cent the right thing. What we do in January or at the end of the season, we’ll have to wait and see.”
Arblaster, 19, is seen as one of the top young players emerging at the club.
Jack Lester has spoken highly of the youngster in the past, while Stuart McCall nodded to Arblaster more than once last season in his comments.
With a bit of nurturing and more football, it does seem like United have a player on their hands.
And if the Blades do go down to the Championship, you very much get the feeling Arblaster will be part o the first-team looking to go back up.