Sheffield United, despite a difficult summer transfer window, have bounced back with aplomb and cannot be ruled out of a play-off spot this season, and one player will be crucial to those efforts.

Sheffield United underwent a difficult summer window, with each of Andre Brooks, Gustavo Hamer, and Callum O'Hare leaving the club to bring in some much-needed funds, as loans and free transfers were heavily relied upon as a means to bring in recruits.

Ben Brereton Diaz returned to South Yorkshire on loan from Southampton, whilst Matt Doherty, Jordan Ayew, Romelle Donovan, Kalvin Phillips, Hamza Choudhury, and Liam Kitching followed.

Whilst the majority of those have had a solid enough impact at this stage, there is one player who has caught the eye more than most and could command a lucrative sum.

Sydie Peck has been in excellent form for Sheffield United this season

Sydie Peck has been in the headlines as of late for his surprising first-half hat-trick against Preston North End in midweek, but the midfielder's displays throughout this campaign deserve more recognition.

Coming through the Arsenal academy before joining the Blades in 2021, the 22-year-old has made over a century of appearances for the South Yorkshire outfit across all competitions since, and has gone on to become one of the first names on the team sheet under Chris Wilder in recent years.

A regular in the England youth setup, Peck is bound for the Premier League at some stage of his career, and with four goals and two assists in 14 Championship games from midfield already this season, it's no surprise January interest in the midfielder is expected.

Football League World's Sheffield United fan pundit, Jimmy from Blades Ramble, has shared their thoughts on whether Peck will attract interest from elsewhere in the near future, and if so, how much the Blades should demand for the midfielder.

Jimmy said: "I fully expect interest in Sydie Peck in January. He's a good player, and I think Chris Wilder noted in his post-match interview that he needed to add goals to his game, and he started to do that.

"So a hat-trick, very impressive, but really his overall game has improved, and I definitely think he has the ability to become a Premier League player.

"I would prefer it if he stayed under the radar a little bit and stayed with Sheffield United. What I do think, though, is, now that there's no longer a need to sell at Bramall Lane, if Sydie Peck does get an offer that we find too good to refuse, then I think Wilder will be given a lot of the funds to strengthen the squad.

"We've been in this position before when we sold David Brooks, and we brought in players like John Egan and Ollie Norwood. But what is that price? I think it's at least £15 million. When you look at some of the prices that players are going for at this level now, he's an England U21 international who just scored a hat-trick in the Championship; at least £15 million. I'd be holding out for £20 million."

Do you agree with Jimmy's take on Sydie Peck? How much do you think Sheffield United should be commanding for the midfielder if interest were to arrive as early as January? Share your thoughts below!

Sheffield United and Chris Wilder will be hoping to retain Sydie Peck despite rumoured January interest

Having been forced to part ways with Brooks, Hamer, and O'Hare in the summer, Sheffield United and their head coach Chris Wilder will have little intention of losing any other stars anytime soon.

Peck is certainly one of their prized assets right now, and under contract until the summer of 2028, are under no immediate pressure to cash in, although, a decision on his future must be made sooner rather than later.

The England youth international's ceiling is extraordinarily high, and Sheffield United will be hoping to be the continued beneficiaries of his services for years to come, as time will tell exactly how this saga plays out.