The midfielder has been an important part of the Blades’ squad in recent years, and his experience would make a welcome addition to a youthful Black Cats side. Oliver Norwood is expected to leave Bramall Lane next month, ending his six-year affiliation with Sheffield United. The dynamic midfielder has played a key role in the Blades’ recent Championship success, having helped them earn two promotions from the second division in the last five years.
With nearly 200 games for the Yorkshire club under his belt, the 33-year-old received an emotional send-off on Sunday, waving goodbye to the fans who have screamed his name from the stands for more than a decade. However, Sheffield United’s loss might be Sunderland’s gain this summer, with the Black Cats reportedly keen in bringing the playmaker to the Stadium of Light during the off-season.
Oliver Norwood departs Sheffield United after six great seasons at Bramall Lane. The Mackems are only one of several second-tier clubs rumored to be interested in signing Norwood ahead of the next season, including Hull City and Watford. With 27 Premier League games in the most recent season, the former Reading player still has what it takes to compete at the highest level of the game, and that experience can be invaluable during a grueling Championship season.
The midfielder has played ten seasons in the second division, two of which resulted in promotion to the Premier League. Whether it’s his metronomic retention of possession in the middle of the park, his ability to pick out a teammate with a length of the pitch pass, or his occasional score, Norwood is a man who exudes quality with the ball at his feet.
You only need to look at his prior performances at this level to see proof of that, with a spot in the 18/19 PFA Championship Team of the Year attesting to his ability to dominate a game from the engine room as the Blades achieved promotion. Only a year ago, he was finishing a season with the second most progressive passes in the division (329), while only six players touched the ball (3172) more times over the course of the entire season, such was his impact on that free-flowing Blades team that finished second in the league.
Norwood’s persistence when out of possession is sometimes overlooked, with his league-leading 77 tackles in the 22/23 season backed up by just as many interceptions, as he ran his socks off to keep his team on top throughout the 90 minutes. Oliver Norwood might be the experienced campaigner Sunderland need to advance to the Championship next season.
That type of steel in the heart of the park is exactly what Sunderland might use ahead of the next campaign, along with a savvy campaigner prepared to do the dirty job in the middle of the park. Not only would Norwood’s influence help on the field, but his expertise would be crucial in coaching the young Black Cats team through the rigours of a Championship campaign, which they encountered this year.
Throughout the 23/24 season, the Northeast side consistently delivered the youngest starting eleven in the second division, with the team that began the 4-2 defeat to Southampton in March having the lowest average age of the lot at 21.0. While youthful zeal and excitement can get you so far, there are occasions when an experienced hand is needed to shepherd those new faces through the tough times, as the Wearsiders did in the final few months of the season.
The campaign came to a halt at the Stadium of Light after two victories in their final 15 games, with interim manager Mike Dodds trying to guide the ship amidst a tide of dissatisfaction with the club’s activities. This summer, however, presents an opportunity to right all of the wrongs of the previous campaign, and Norwood’s arrival would indicate that they mean business and would provide the stability required to maintain a play-off drive.
With Watford and Hull also rumored to be interested, the managerless Mackems will need to act quickly to avoid missing out on an experienced campaigner who can help them next season and provide another dimension to their midfield.
