Former Northampton Town manager Chris Wilder was appointed as new manager at Sheffield United after the sacking of Nigel Adkins at the end of the season, as the club started its business early in preparation for the forthcoming 2016/17 league season.
It has now been five whole seasons since Sheffield United last played in the Championship and the Blades have not tasted competitive action in the Premier League since 2007.
The club is desperate to get back to the top two tiers of English football.
Last season was a disappointment as United finished in an underwhelming 11th place which was a six place drop on their 5th placed finish the previous season.
The club was 8 points off the League One Play-Off positions and the board moved quickly to bring in Wilder with the aim of getting the team pushing for promotion next season.
The club has transfer listed a number of squad players including Kieron Freeman, Kieran Wallace, Paul Coutts, Dean Hammond, James Wallace, Martyn Woolford, and Diego De Girolamo but which players on the squad list can play a key role for the Blades next season?
Football League World writer Steve Day takes a look at which players Wilder can expect to be a key influence in Sheffield United's 2016/17 campaign.....
Billy Sharp
The first place to start is the club captain Sharp.
It is a football story for the romantics with Sharp starting his career with the Blades but being shipped out to Scunthorpe United, after he failed to make an impression after just 2 appearances for the Bramall Lane club.
He returned to the Yorkshire club in 2007 but once again failed to make his mark with just 8 goals in 51 appearances.
Successful spells across several divisions at clubs including Doncaster, Southampton, and Leeds saw Sharp eventually return for a third spell at United last season and this time he finally cracked it.
He scored 21 goals in 41 appearances to become the main source of goals for the Blades.
If United are to turn their mediocre fortunes around and make a serious push for a promotion spot this season then they will not only want to keep hold of Sharp, but Wilder will also need to get the best out of a player who hit peak form last season, but has also shown before that if he is mismanaged then he could just as likely fire blanks.
George Long
It is often said that a goalkeeper is only as good as his defence, but sometimes the goalkeeper can be the key component that makes that defence as good as it is.
Long is one of those keepers who remains playing at a level that many feel is below his station.
The 22-year-old stopper is a former England Under-18 international and was also included in the England squad for the 2013 FIFA Under 20 World Cup.
He has a wealth of experience with 118 appearances for the Blades since his debut back in 2011.
This coming season will see United look to build a much more solid defence and Long will need to be a member of that defence if it is to gel quickly enough, to give the Blades a fantastic foundation to launch their attack on the top six this season.
Mark Duffy
In any promotion-winning team there is a need to blend a healthy mix of youth and experience.
The experience in the Sheffield United team will come from the calm head of 30-year-old right winger Mark Duffy.
Duffy is a former non-league player who has risen through the leagues with teams such as Vauxhall Motors, Prescot Cables, and Southport before moving into the Football League and enjoying spells with Morecambe, Scunthorpe United, Doncaster, and Birmingham.
He was also a valuable player on loan in Burton's promotion campaign last season scoring 8 goals in 45 league appearances.
He was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year but was still released by Birmingham this summer with Wilder moving quick to pounce and sign the highly-rated wide man.
Che Adams
The Premier League's non-league success story may well be Jamie Vardy but for Sheffield United it is Che Adams.
Adams was playing for Ilkeston just two seasons ago but his performances at that level saw him signed up by United.
It has been a rapid rise through the ranks as he has quickly established himself as a mainstay in the United first team.
He scored 12 goals in all competitions last season and the Blades will need his goals once more this season if they are to make progress up the league table.
At just 19 years of age, Adams still has youth on his side but this could make him a target for teams higher up the leagues. He has scored 1 goal in his two England Under 20 appearances and this could be the season when he earns praise on a national level.
What do you think of these players? Will they be key to Sheffield United's season? Or will the likes of John Brayford and Chris Basham play more of an important role? Let us know in the comments sections below!