---
title: "Profit Players: Sheffield United signing John Lundstram for £540,000 proved to be a mastertroke"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/sheffield-united-signing-john-lundstram-mastertroke/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Luke Seychell"
section: "Features"
published: "2020-08-22T15:00:51Z"
modified: "2020-08-22T15:00:51Z"
---

# Profit Players: Sheffield United signing John Lundstram for £540,000 proved to be a mastertroke

**This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.**

Back in July 2017, Sheffield United, who had just been [promoted](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/sheffield-united/platzierungen/verein/350) to the Championship, signed Englishman John Lundstram for only [£540,000](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/john-lundstram/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/156941/verein/350) from Oxford United. The signing may initially have been intended as one to bolster the squad but, three years later, the Englishman has become a vital player for the Blades and a [coup for Fantasy Premier League managers](https://thefootballfaithful.com/best-fantasy-premier-league-cult-heroes-michu-lundstram/).

The central midfielder started off in the Everton academy but only featured for the under-23 side, for whom he made 46 appearances and scored six goals, per [Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/john-lundstram/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/156941/verein/350). After [six](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/john-lundstram/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/156941/verein/350) different loan spells in the Football League, he was finally released by the Toffees and it looked like his time in the Premier League would not come.

However, after he joined Oxford United on a [free transfer](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/john-lundstram/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/156941/verein/350), he clearly started to impress the Blades and they finally made their move for him when they were in the Championship.

It wasn’t all plain sailing for the Englishman, who [recorded three goals and three assists](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/john-lundstram/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/156941/verein/350) in 36 league games in his first season. In the following campaign, at the end of which the Blades were promoted to the Premier League, he only [played](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/john-lundstram/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/156941/verein/350) 10 league games as Chris Wilder often overlooked him.

Therefore, once they did get [promoted](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/sheffield-united/platzierungen/verein/350) to England’s top flight, it might have been a shock to see the [26](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/john-lundstram/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/156941/verein/350) year-old to start in the first Premier League game. However, he came to the fore and became a vital player both in attack and defence as he recorded on average 1.4 tackles, one interception and 1.3 shots per game, via [WhoScored.](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/163/Show/England-Sheffield-United) He also scored five goals, which was the joint-second most in the [squad](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/163/Show/England-Sheffield-United), and registered three assists, also the joint-second best at Bramall Lane, which highlights how he thrived in the division.

Throughout last season, he has earned a lot of [praise](https://www.sheffieldunited.news/news/john-lundstram-wins-the-praise-of-chris-wilder-despite-impressive-berge-debut/) from his manager and it is easy to see why. Despite strugglingto get game-time in the Championship, he has truly blossomed into a good Premier League footballer. The player is now valued at [£7.2m](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/john-lundstram/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/156941/verein/350), highlighting how it was such good business to pick him up for just over half a million, and he has definitely become a tremendous profit player for the Blades.

***Blades fans, what are your thoughts on Lundstram? Comment below with your views!***