Alan Biggs: Success may require transfer resolve as Sheffield United stars attract interest

Even with two-and-a-half months to go to the next, you can bet barricades are being built and strategies put in place should Sheffield United lose any of their best players in January.

Here’s literally the double-edged sword for Blades.

The better they do up to January, the higher they are, the more likely they are to receive big offers for players.

Equally, the better they do, the more likely the chances of the manager persuading the board to hold firm.

And United need to embrace that whole equation, the pros and cons, right now in order to steer the ship through a choppy January when waves of transfer speculation will break all around.

Indeed, the swell is already rising. Witness a story about Rhys Norrington-Davies attracting the attention of three Premier League clubs; Leicester, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.

So it was reassuring to hear of Paul Heckingbottom’s recent and rare face-to-face meeting with owner Prince Abdullah.

It was also good to hear the Blades boss describing himself as “a bit pushy” when it comes to these exchanges.

He’s far from the pushover some imagined the hierarchy wanted when he was installed. But, as Hecky himself has obliquely pointed out, he wouldn’t be doing his job if he was; his job being to push the football side to its limit and seeing problems before they arise.

Here’s a key quote from a week ago: “The focus has got to be on the industry we are in, football, because that will make us money.”

That’s correct and also clever to put it that way. Because Hecky’s aim is to persuade the board that what is good for the team and himself is also good for them.

Namely a prize of pushing £200m, exceeding the reported sale price for the club when United were in talks a few months ago with American businessman Henry Mauriss.

Takeover speculation has since vanished into thin air and you suspect the promise and potential for another promotion, from the base of a very sensible transfer strategy last summer, has plenty to do with it.

Therefore, it makes sense to be steady-as-she-goes and full-steam-ahead. Besides, United can’t afford to lose anyone amid the current injury crisis.

I’m convinced even those players touted for moves will be on board with staying if the Blades maintain a strong position going into January. Especially if new deals are tied up accordingly for the best of them.

A gamble in same ways, maybe, but the stakes are high. At worst, United will be well equipped for another assault next season.

At best, they will have an opportunity to learn from past mistakes and make top flight status stick next time.