The contrast between the spending of Sheffield United and Aston Villa this summer is stark.
Both sides were promoted to the Premier League last season and are enjoying the increased financial clout that brings.
Yet while Villa are utilising the spending power of billionnaire owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, the Blades hierarchy is locked in a legal dispute.
Co-owners Kevin McCabe and Prince Abdullah have been in the High Court this year to determine who should take sole charge at Bramall Lane.
Whether that has affected the transfer policy is debatable. McCabe claims not, telling BBC Radio Sheffield in May the budget would be “a healthy one.”
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However, whether one party would want to invest in a club they may not been involved with in just a few months time is also questionable.
The difference between Sheffield United and Aston Villa
(Photo by Stephen White – CameraSport via Getty Images)
The Blades have already broken their transfer record twice this summer. The Yorkshire Post reports £7m was spent on Callum Robinson, after Luke Freeman was acquired for £5m.
Free agent Phil Jagielka is the only other new signing so far. However, the Sheffield Star reports Dean Henderson is expected to rejoin on loan from Manchester United.
Ravel Morrison is also on trial at the club, while Ben Osborn is moving closer to a move from Nottingham Forest. According to the Sun, Osborn will cost anywhere between £3m and £6m.
It could mean that even if all of those players sign, the South Yorkshire side may still have spent just £15m. Which fits in with a report from the Daily Mail claiming they only have a £20m budget.
Meanwhile, the Villans are about to take their spending to £108m. The BBC reports a £15m fee has been agreed for Douglas Luiz, while Bjorn Engels is a £7m target.
They will become their eighth and ninth new signings. Tyrone Mings cost them £20m, while the Guardian reports a club record £22m fee was paid for Wesley.
Let’s hope the Blades don’t regret not backing manager Chris Wilder in a similar way.
