SportsFree: Sheff Utd bagged an absolute bargain with move for 14-cap international - Opinion
This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.
Sheffield United managed to win the League One title in Chris Wilder’s first season in charge back in 2016/17. The promotion saw them rebuild their squad to make sure they didn’t drop back down immediately to the third tier and they duly acquired Enda Stevens from Portsmouth.
At Pompey, the left-back played 99 times and managed to pick up one goal as well as an impressive 21 assists whilst at Fratton Park, per Transfermarkt. Wilder clearly saw the fact that Stevens was not just a decent defender but also someone who could pose a threat at the other end of the pitch. At the time, the Blades managed to sign the Irishman on a free transfer and not many might have expected him to create much of an impact at the club after arriving.
However, a return of 128 appearances, seven goals and 14 assists, throughout his Blades career, and a promotion to the Premier League last year has seen the defender become an integral part of Wilder’s team, per Transfermarkt. During his time with Sheffield United, Stevens also made his Republic of Ireland debut in 2018 and has won a further 13 caps since.
Wilder has utilised the attacking side of Stevens’ game, too, by transforming him into a wing-back and now the player has become a part of a Blades team who are in the top half of the Premier League and are fighting for an improbable place in Europe, per BBC Sport. The defence has been the main reason to their success this campaign as they have picked up 12 clean sheets in the Premier League, the fifth most in the division.
Due to his success at Sheffield United, Stevens now has a market value of £4.95m, per Transfermarkt, highlighting how good a signing he was for the Blades and emphasising how great a deal it was for them to snap up the Irishman on a free transfer.
Blades fans, how good has Stevens been this season? Comment below with your views!
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