Luke Freeman departed Sheffield United on loan in the summer having failed to set the world alight in his debut season at Bramall Lane.

The 28-year-old became United's first signing since securing a long-awaited return to the Premier League, joining the Blades for a club-record fee at the time.

In wake of his side's promotion from the Championship, Chris Wilder went about adding unproven talent to his squad who had been impressing in the second tier.

Freeman was certainly one of those players, with Callum Robinson and Oli McBurnie also arriving from Preston North End and Swansea City respectively.

Freeman was one of the standout midfielders in the Championship the year United won promotion. The playmaker scored eight goals and registered six assists for Queens Park Rangers across 43 league appearances.

But the midfielder failed to make an impact as he made the step up to the Premier League, failing to score or register an assist in 11 league appearances last term.

Having made only three league starts for Wilder's men in 2019/20, Freeman subsequently left Bramall Lane in the summer, joining Nottingham Forest on loan for the season.

Freeman has been unable to replicate the form he displayed at QPR thus far. The midfielder has made 11 appearances for Forest, scoring one goal and failing to chip in with an assist.

The 28-year-old has struggled with injuries, too, having spent the best part of three months on the sidelines with a hernia problem, though he has returned to the side in the last week.

If Freeman does improve and impress Chris Hughton between now and the end of the season, then there is every chance that Forest will look to activate the option they have to make him a permanent arrival.

But on current evidence, Freeman has to show a lot more if he wishes to earn a permanent stay on Trentside, and prove his doubters wrong.