Ipswich Town star & lesser-seen Blades player can give Sheffield United the dream start to January | OneFootball

A huge signing, paired with a disappointing loan spell coming to a close, would be a huge way for the Blades to start the January window

The January transfer window gives sides across the Championship the chance to receive a much-needed boost ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Sides can solidify promotion credentials, move well clear of the bottom three and even stake a claim for the play-offs with a strong winter window. Sheffield United fall into the latter.

After a truly disastrous opening to the campaign under Ruben Selles, which bled into the return of Chris Wilder, the Blades lost eight of their opening nine Championship games.

However, a strong few months under the returning boss have those at Bramall Lane looking up once more. Their squad is still one of the strongest in the division, and an equally strong January transfer window could see them cut the gap between themselves and the top six even further in a bid to keep their promotion hopes alive.

So, a mixture of a disappointing loan spell coming to an end, plus the arrival of a massively ambitious transfer target, would kickstart 2026 perfectly for Chris Wilder and the Blades.

Departing — Ben Godfrey

This one has seemingly been completed already, but won't be finalised until the transfer window opens, with Chris Wilder revealing that Ben Godfrey is no longer with the club.

The 27-year-old joined the club from Serie A side Atalanta in the summer, and has been one of the many examples of a player brought in by Ruben Selles not getting much of an opportunity under Chris Wilder.

Godfrey actually played in Wilder's first game back in the Bramall Lane dugout, a 1-0 defeat to Charlton Athletic, but hasn't even made a Championship squad since that game in September.

The Sheffield United boss remained coy about the details surrounding why the former Everton defender wasn't being involved in games, but he did feature in some Under-21 games in the meantime, indicating that he wasn't injured.

Now, some light has been shed on his situation, and Godfrey looks set to return to Italy. This is a helpful departure for the Blades, as not only does it open up a loan spot for someone who will get game time at Bramall Lane, but it also frees up a large chunk of Sheffield United's wage budget.

According to Capology's estimates, Godfrey was earning a whopping £75,000 per week. That wasn't just the highest number in the Sheffield United squad, but the fourth-highest in the entire Championship. Reports before the deal was made suggested that Atalanta wanted the majority of that amount covered before a loan move was sanctioned, too.

So, with the 27-year-old departing, it allows the Blades to loan in someone else in January if they so wish, but it also allows for more wages to be spent on other incomings.

Arriving — Jack Clarke

Granted, unlikely, but a "dream" January transfer scenario for Blades fans would see Jack Clarke arrive at Bramall Lane.

The Blades have enquired about the wideman, who is under contract at Ipswich Town until 2029, having signed at Portman Road from Sunderland for £15 million at the start of last season.

The 25-year-old is one of the more dangerous widemen the Championship has seen in recent years, scoring 26 and assisting 16 in two seasons at the Stadium of Light before securing his Premier League move to Ipswich.

Now back in the Championship, Clarke is picking up where he left off, and Sheffield United have seen firsthand what he's capable of during their 5-0 defeat against the Tractor Boys earlier this season under Ruben Selles.

However, regular starts have been hard to come by for the former Leeds United academy graduate this season because he's contending with Jaden Philogene on the left-hand side of the attack.

Perhaps the Blades are hopeful that he could swap that for more starts in South Yorkshire, with Gustavo Hamer operating back in the centre of the park if a move were to be made.

Ultimately, this one will be difficult to pull off, but if Sheffield United can, those above them will be fearing what they can do in the second half of the campaign.