Sheffield United will be hoping to make an immediate return to the Premier League this season.
Sheffield United were relegated from the top flight last season after a dismal campaign that saw them accumulate just 16 points, but they look to be in a strong position to bounce back at the first attempt.
Despite working against a backdrop of takeover uncertainty, manager Chris Wilder was able to rebuild the Blades' squad this summer, and his outstanding recruitment has been crucial to their excellent start to the season.
As United's latest influx of new signings continue to impress at Bramall Lane, we looked back at some of the best transfer deals the club have done in recent times.
Chris Basham
Chris Basham Sheffield United vs Leeds 2019
United supporters will not be keen to remember much of Nigel Clough's tenure, but they will be thankful to him for the signing of defender Chris Basham.
Basham joined the Blades on a free transfer in the summer of 2014 following his departure from Blackpool, and he went on to score 15 goals and provide 15 assists in 394 appearances during his 10-year spell at the club.
The 36-year-old earned three promotions with United in that time - one to the Championship and two to the Premier League - and he also helped the club to a ninth-placed finish in the top flight in the 2019-20 season, after which he was voted Player of the Year.
Basham's Blades career came to a sad end as he suffered a career-ending injury in the defeat at Fulham last October, but after a decade of loyal service, he will forever be appreciated by supporters.
Sander Berge
Sander Berge v Blackburn Rovers
Midfielder Sander Berge became United's record signing when he joined the club from Genk in January 2020 for a fee believed to have been over £20 million.
Berge may have suffered relegation in his first full season at Bramall Lane, but his individual quality was still clear despite the struggles of those around him, and he took his game to a whole new level in the Championship.
The 26-year-old scored six goals and provided five assists in 43 games as the Blades won promotion to the Premier League in the 2022-23 season, and his relationship with supporters was strengthened by the fact he turned down top flight interest during the campaign.
However, with uncertainty over the club's ownership situation, Berge departed to join Burnley for a fee in the region of £12 million following promotion, and his exit certainly had a detrimental impact as United made an immediate return to the Championship.
Gustavo Hamer
Gustavo Hamer
Midfielder Gustavo Hamer may not have been at Bramall Lane long enough to secure the same kind of legacy as the other names on this list, but in terms of talent, there is no doubt he is one of United's best signings in recent times.
Hamer joined the Blades from Coventry City last summer for a fee of £15 million, and his performances were one of few positives in their disappointing relegation season as he scored five goals and registered seven assists in 38 appearances.
It was initially claimed that United were open to selling Hamer following relegation if they could recoup the fee they paid for him, but that stance changed after his impressive start to the campaign, and they rejected a bid of around £13 million from Leeds United late in the window.
There is no doubt that Hamer is one of the standout players in the Championship, so Wilder will be relieved to have kept hold of him, and his form over the coming months will be crucial to the Blades' promotion hopes.
Iliman Ndiaye
Iliman Ndiaye Sheffield United
While United have mainly signed proven players over the years, they have occasionally unearthed a hidden gem, and forward Iliman Ndiaye was certainly one of those.
The Blades signed Ndiaye from non-league side Boreham Wood in the summer of 2019, and few could have predicted the impact he would make after being handed a chance in the first team by Slavisa Jokanovic in the 2021-22 season.
Ndiaye was the driving force behind United's promotion to the Premier League in the 2022-23 campaign, scoring 15 goals and registering 12 assists in 52 games and lighting up Bramall Lane with his performances.
Unfortunately for the Blades, promotion was not enough for them to be able to retain Ndiaye, and the 24-year-old made a £20 million move to Marseille last summer.
Billy Sharp
Billy Sharp Sheffield United
Striker Billy Sharp had two previous spells with United before returning to Bramall Lane for a third time from Leeds United in the summer of 2015.
Over the next eight years, Sharp won one promotion to the Championship and two promotions to the Premier League with the Blades, and his prolific goalscoring form was integral to their success.
Billy Sharp's record during his third spell at Sheffield United (according to Transfermarkt)
Season
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
Sharp was released by United last summer, and across his three stints at the club, he scored a total of 129 goals and provided 42 assists in 377 appearances, meaning he found the back of the net around once every three games on average.
The 38-year-old will go down as one of the best strikers in the club's history, and the fact that he is a boyhood Blades fan will make his success even sweeter for supporters.
James Beattie
James Beattie at Stoke City
While many of United's best signings have come during Wilder's time in charge, striker James Beattie also deserves a mention.
Beattie joined the Blades from Everton in the summer of 2007 for a fee of £4 million, and he scored an impressive 22 goals and provided four assists in 41 games during his first season at Bramall Lane, earning him the club's Player of the Year award.
Unfortunately for United, his goals were not enough to secure them a Championship play-off place in the 2007-08 campaign, but his fine form continued into the following season, with the striker scoring 12 goals and registering three assists in his first 24 games.
However, the Blades suffered a huge blow when Beattie departed for Stoke City in January 2009, and they would have been incredibly disappointed to receive just £3.5 million for his services, which represented a loss on the fee they paid for him 18 months earlier.
Beattie returned to United for a second spell in the 2011-12 season, but he failed to find the back of the net in 19 appearances as his side missed out on promotion from League One.