Jamal Baptiste

Baptiste defends with a size and power that stand out among players his age, winning the ball in the air and bringing it out from the back under pressure. He has named Virgil van Dijk as the defender he studies, and it shows in how calmly he steps out of defence rather than hoofing the ball clear. That blend of physicality and composure marked him out early at a major Premier League academy.

A serious illness took him away from football at a stage when his career should have been accelerating, and simply returning to full training was itself an achievement. The tension now is regaining the sharpness and match fitness that time away costs a young defender. Sheffield United have given him a fresh path to rebuild that career, and how far he goes says as much about resilience as talent.