Sheffield United appear a little hesitant to splash out on transfer fees in the upcoming summer window.

Paul Heckingbottom will need to utilise the loan and free agent market smartly to assemble a promotion pushing squad.

The Blades were a penalty shoot-out away from Wembley Stadium in the play-offs, losing out to eventual winners Nottingham Forest, and they certainly have a strong nucleus in the squad to build on this summer.

Heckingbottom switched up the formation and approach in and out of possession after replacing Slavisa Jokanovic in the dugout, to great success, but he will really earn his money in lifting the troops after their play-off defeat and building a capable squad again.

Sander Berge could be difficult to keep this summer, and the influential Morgan Gibbs-White will take some replacing.

Here, we have taken a look at three free agents the Blades should target this summer...

Josh Laurent

Josh Laurent should be high up on the list of the majority of Championship clubs this summer, and the Blades certainly have the resources to compete in terms of the wages they could offer the 27-year-old.

Ollie Norwood and John Fleck are still above average central midfielders for the level, but their best years are behind them and Laurent would beef up the middle of the park physically.

Michael Hector

Hector has been largely out of action for the last two seasons with Fulham, however he demonstrated his class in the second half of the 2019/20 season with the Cottagers.

The Jamaica international has struggled to settle anywhere since leaving Reading for Chelsea and he needs to choose wisely this summer.

The Blades deploy a back three, and unfortunately cannot rely on Jack O'Connell to recover and become a prominent figure again next term.

Hector would be a shrewd pick-up.

Benik Afobe

Afobe's deal at Stoke City expires this summer and the former Arsenal youngster has re-asserted himself as a viable option in the second tier on loan at Millwall this term.

16 goal contributions in all competitions made him a valued asset in the Lions' play-off push and the 29-year-old should continue in that vein, having stood up to the test physically in a relentless campaign.

Afobe and Iliman Ndiaye in a front two, when Billy Sharp is unavailable, could be an exciting option for the Blades heading into 2022/23.