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Carlton Palmer has given his verdict on Sheffield United' January transfer business

Carlton Palmer has praised Sheffield United for their busy January transfer window in which they brought seven players into the club.

The Blades were working up to deadline day on Monday to secure additions to their first team squad, including the arrivals of Rob Holding, Christian Nwachukwu and Jefferson Caceres.

Deals for Tom Cannon, Hamza Choudhury, Ben Brereton Diaz and Harry Clarke rounded out their winter business.

Wilder will be hoping these additions can help in the club’s pursuit of promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt this season.

Carlton Palmer praises Sheffield United’s January transfer business

Palmer has praised Sheffield United’s January business, claiming their intentions are clear following the end of the window.

He believes their emphasis on loans also gives them some leeway going into the summer in the event that they gain promotion to the top flight.

“It’s been a busy January transfer window for Sheffield United and Chris Wilder,” Palmer told Football League World.

“They’ve brought in seven players of proven quality at this level: Ben Brereton Diaz, Southampton, loan; Tom Cannon, £10 million; Hamza Choudhury, Leicester, loan; Harry Clarke, Ipswich, loan; Jefferson Caceres, FBC Melgar; Christian Nwachukwu, and Rob Holding.

“So it’s been a very, very busy January transfer window for the football club.

“Their intention is quite clear, to get back to the Premier League.

“Now, I know that Chris had a very, very good first XI, but if he received any injuries, like he did when they played West Brom away, he fielded six academy players.

“So they’ve got strength in depth, and if you’re looking at what they’ve done, a lot of them are loans.

“Tom Cannon is a very, very good young player, they’ve bought him for £10 million, so they can see where they go with him, I think he scores goals in the Premier League.

“The rest, Brereton Diaz, Choudhury is a loan, Clarke is a loan and Holding is a loan, so they’re not linked to keeping them at the end of the season if they don’t believe they’re good enough to play in the Premier League.”

Carlton Palmer backs Sheffield United for promotion

Palmer believes Sheffield United are still one of the two sides that will go straight up this season, provided their new signings are able to hit the ground running immediately.

“It’s going to be interesting, if we look at Ipswich last season they had a very, very good January transfer window and that helped them to push on and get promotion,” he continued.

“We’ll have to wait and see.

“I said at the start of the season that Sheffield United and Leeds would go up automatically and I’ll still stick by that.

“Although Leeds United haven’t had a busy January transfer market, and they never really intended to, I think Daniel Farke alluded to the fact that if he could add to the squad, and not just in terms of numbers but in terms of quality and how they fit in with the group, he would do.

“Chris Wilder, I don’t think he would’ve expected in his wildest dreams when he was talking about bringing in two, maybe three players, that he’d be backed to the hilt.

“And it could be very important in the push for automatic promotion.

“But these players have to come in and settle in quickly and play.

“Tom Cannon’s been playing already.

“You’re looking at Rob Holding, he’s not really been playing consistently.

“These players have to come in, settle, and hit the ground running for Chris Wilder to be a good bit of business that they’ve done in the January transfer window.”

Sheffield United are two points behind leaders Leeds in second in the Championship table.

Promising start for new Sheffield United owners

The new Sheffield United owners have backed Wilder in the market, which is exactly what supporters will want to see.

While there are no guarantees of a top-two finish, the club will be optimistic about their chances given how strong their squad now looks.

Depth was a real issue prior to January, which has been addressed emphatically with seven new signings.