Sheffield United: David McGoldrick & Oli McBurnie send Rhian Brewster messages as 3-year drought ends | OneFootball

Brewster hadn't scored at Bramall Lane since January 2022 before his goal against Coventry on Friday night, and it was great delight to many

He may have cost a lot of money nearly five years ago, but Rhian Brewster is finally repaying some of the mammoth fee that Sheffield United forked out for his services.

Poor form and a mountain of injury issues have meant that the £23.5 million transfer fee that Brewster swapped Liverpool for Bramall Lane for has been pound-for-pound perhaps United's worst investment of all time.

To the surprise of many though, Brewster has managed to re-discover some of the ability that saw him cross the Pennines for such a lofty price-tag nearly half a decade ago, and in a new role and position, he has been contributing to some significant victories in recent weeks as Chris Wilder's side look to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

And after three years and two months, which is when Brewster last found the back of the net at Bramall Lane in a 2-0 Championship win over Luton Town, his long drought was finally broken when firing home United's third goal in a 3-1 win over Coventry City on Friday night, which put them top of the second tier standings - and they stayed there after Saturday thanks to Leeds dropping points against Swansea City.

Oli McBurnie & David McGoldrick react to Rhian Brewster breaking three-year Bramall Lane drought

Whilst he probably expected to be somewhat of a peripheral figure under Wilder this season, faith has been kept in Brewster, with substitute outings more often than not in the first half of the season, but a string of more regular starts have come in recent months.

Instead of playing as an out-and-out number nine though, Brewster has instead been playing in the number 10 slot behind the striker, and he has been seen to best effect there, with goals against bitter rivals Sheffield Wednesday and then Coventry in recent weeks.

Brewster posted a message on his personal Instagram page after his match-winning display against Frank Lampard's Sky Blues on Friday evening, praising the atmosphere created by the Blades fans and showing gratitude for the chances he's been given.

And the 24-year-old is clearly popular in the dressing room with his team-mates judging by the responses, but also with former Blades players too - including strikers David McGoldrick and Oli McBurnie.

McGoldrick, who is still going strong for League Two promotion hopefuls Notts County at the age of 37, simply posted a muscle emoji and a pointed finger at the current main character of Sheffield United that is Brewster, whilst McBurnie, who departed last summer and signed for Las Palmas of La Liga, simply exclaimed "Yessir".

Other comments from the likes of Tyrese Campbell, Sam McCallum and Andre Brooks just show how well-received Brewster is, and with Chris Wilder recently confirming that the club are in talks with the forward in regards to a new contract, it's a surprise turn-around in a floundering South Yorkshire career for the former England youth international.

Rhian Brewster will have earned his Premier League return if Sheffield United go up and he signs new deal

You'd be laughed at if you suggested at the start of the current campaign that Brewster would have been offered a new contract at Bramall Lane, given his lack of impact in his four years at the club.

But it's been a renaissance of epic proportions for Brewster, who has reinvented himself into an attacking midfielder instead of the striker he grew up as - and it's paying dividends.

The conundrum is whether or not Brewster signs a new deal - he may see Sheffield United, if they're promoted, as a safe contract, but not somewhere where he's likely to get regular game-time in the top flight.