Why Sheffield United should go all out for Emmanuel Dennis in January
Back in May, a report from the Examiner Live had linked Nigerian international striker Emmanuel Dennis with a move to Sheffield United.
The Blades had been mentioned as long-standing admirers of the Club Brugge hitman, with Premier League rivals Arsenal, Newcastle and Wolves also in the race for the player. (h/t Examiner Live). However, Dennis ended up staying put in Belgium despite widespread speculation over his future.
Profile
Emmanuel Dennis started his professional career with Zorya Luhansk in Ukraine. He scored 6 times in 26 appearances during the 2016-17 season before earning a move to Belgium with heavyweights Club Brugge. He made an instant impact at his new club, scoring 12 goals in all competitions in his debut season as Brugge romped home to the domestic title in 2017-18.
The Nigerian international earned rave reviews for his performances in the previous campaign, registering 9 goals in 33 appearances across all competitions as Brugge once again bagged the domestic crown. Dennis also achieved the distinction of scoring a brace in a 2-2 draw against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the group stages of the Champions League.
The 23-year-old has somewhat struggled for consistency in 2020-21, contributing with a goal and 3 assists in 13 appearances so far.
Dennis would add more spark to a goal-shy Blades attack
Sheffield United currently find themselves languishing at the bottom of the standings following a nightmarish start to the campaign. The Blades are the only side in the top-flight yet to register a single win, having lost 12 of their 14 league fixtures so far. Chris Wilder’s side have managed to score just 8 goals so far, which pretty much sums up their dismal run of form.
With several crunch fixtures set to follow in the coming months, Sheffield United will surely need to start putting up more points on the board. Failing to do so could see them return to the Championship after spending just a couple of seasons in the top-flight. That would represent a massive step backwards for the club that secured an impressive 9th-place finish in the PL last term.
Putting things into context, it should be an absolute no-brainer for the Blades to line up some striking options heading into the winter window. To that end, making a renewed attempt to sign Emmanuel Dennis could go a long way towards helping Wilder repair what has so far been a dismal start to the season.
The 23-year-old hasn’t been at his sparkling best at Brugge this season but his past exploits prove that the Nigerian is capable of performing at a high level. Dennis has backed up his strong domestic performances in Belgium with some quality displays in the Champions League. That clearly underlines his potential to score goals against elite opposition in more competitive surroundings.
Furthermore, a potential deal for the Nigerian would also offer Wilder some much-needed quality in multiple areas across the forward line. While Dennis’ best performances have come as a centre-forward, he has also done reasonably well operating as a wide forward on either flank. Besides his obvious ability to score and create goals, the 23-year-old’s versatility remains one of his key assets.
Verdict
The likes of Oliver McBurnie, Lys Mousset, Billy Sharp, Rhian Brewster and Oliver Burke have all struggled to hit the ground running in the Premier League this season. With Sheffield United currently locked in a relegation dogfight, the acquisition of a talented young striker like Emmanuel Dennis would certainly be a massive boost.
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The Nigerian still has his best years ahead of him, meaning that he would be well worth a punt for the goal-shy Blades next month.
