Sheffield United secured the signing of Conor Hourihane on-loan from Aston Villa in the summer, with the hope that he can provide the Championship nous and guile to launch an immediate promotion push.

The 30-year-old has featured five times thus far for the Blades, providing two assists in what has been a slow start for the Yorkshire club on the whole.

In the latest FLW TV club takeover show, Hal from the Sheff Way podcast joined FLW's Alfie Burns to discuss all things Blades, and when asked about Hourihane's impact at Bramall Lane so far, here's what Hal had to say to FLW TV:

"Set-pieces were good against Hull City, the rest of the performances from him, he's looked a little bit rusty, he's very similar to Oliver Norwood which we already have.

"I think he's a good player, I question if that was the area we most needed because as I mentioned we have such good young players, I do feel like the pathway for some of our better youngsters is being blocked, I would have loved to have seen Zak Brunt get some first-team minutes, I don't think he's going to now, I'd love to have seen Regan Slater given the chance, I don't think he's going to now either.

"We've brought in Adlene Guedioura and Conor Hourihane and we'll have to see how he gets on, so far both of them have looked good, i'm not questioning the signings, I'm just saying it';s a shame that our homegrown youngsters who are Blades through and through and bleed red and white are going to have such a difficult opportunity to get into the first-team.

"That maybe has a knock-on effect for other youngsters who don't see a pathway when signings were brought in on transfer deadline day in positions that we actually already have at the club."

WATCH THE WHOLE EPISODE OF THE SHEFFIELD UNITED TAKEOVER SHOW ON FLW TV BELOW!