With the January transfer window now open Sheffield United will complete the permanent signing of Oliver Norwood.
Norwood has spent the first half of the season on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion and has greatly impressed.
However, part of that initial deal included the move to make the midfielder’s stay permanent. Sky Sports reports the fee is around £2m and Norwood has signed until 2021.
Blades manager Chris Wilder is delighted at securing the 27-year-old for such a price.
“It might have gone up and there might be a few people thinking ‘I wish I’d jumped on that deal,” Wilder told the Sheffield Star. “We had to do a bit of wheeling and dealing.
“As a manager and a coaching staff, you always look for players to hit the ground running and Olly did. He’s had a great start.”
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How important is Oliver Norwood?
Since arriving at Bramall Lane, Norwood is yet to miss a single minute of Championship football. That run has included two goals and four assists to help United to their current position of fourth.
Norwood is also “keeping a damn good player out of the team” according to Wilder in Paul Coutts. Last season Coutts was vital to the Blades midfield. In fact the broken leg he suffered in October was attributed as to why their promotion push fell away.
In 2018/19 Coutts has played just eight times. Norwood and John Fleck have formed a partnership in central midfield that has been key to the success of Wilder’s men.
Not only that but the Northern Ireland international knows what it takes to get out of the Championship. After all, he has achieved promotion from the division in the last two seasons.
In 2016/17 Norwood played 33 league games as Brighton finished second. Then last term, while on loan from the Amex Stadium, he was instrumental for Fulham as they returned to the Premier League via the playoffs.