Wolverhampton Wanderers and The Blades are both rivalling Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, with Sander Berge and Daniel Podence fine additions.
Jose Mourinho has name-dropped Wolves and Sheffield United as potential challengers for a top-four finish this season, speaking to Sky Sports, while singling out Daniel Podence and Sander Berge as ‘important’ additions to their respective squads.
With just three months of the Premier League season remaining, two clubs are punching well above their weight. As it stands, newly promoted Sheffield United are fifth, ahead Manchester United and Mourinho’s Spurs, dreaming of European football at Bramall Lane for the very first time.
Wolves, meanwhile, are ninth, just four points behind their Steel City counterparts.
With some of the Premier League’s usual big-hitters letting their standards slip, opportunity knocks for two of the top-flight’s most ambitious sides, both of whom spent big in the winter to give their prospects a well-timed shot-in-the-arm.
Wolves paid £16.7 million to sign Portugal international Podence from Olympiakos while Sheffield United shattered their transfer record to land the much-admired, £22 million midfielder Berge (WolvesBite). And Mourinho feels that two surprise packages cannot be ignored.
“Wolves and Sheffield United are fighting for the top four, (the managers) can say no – I understand if they say no – but the reality is they are,” Mourinho said. “Not just because of the position they are in the table, it is because of the power and quality.
“Wolves bought an important player (Podence) to try to improve their situation. Sheffield United bought an important player (Berge) and beat their record in the market to try to improve their team. It’s not just about Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Everton. It’s not just about us.”
Podence, if he settles in England, will add real pace and quality to an already impressive Wolves attack. The former Sporting Lisbon flyer has already produced Man of the Match performances against Burnley and Tottenham in Europe so that bodes well for his Premier League prospects.
A few miles north, Berge has endured a testing start to life at Sheffield United but he recovered from an early howler to play a key role as the Blades came from behind to beat Bournemouth on Sunday.
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