Grimes in: Sheffield United can have the dream start to the January transfer window with these 2 deals | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at two deals which would mark a dream start to the January transfer window for Sheffield United

Sheffield United have been picking up impressive results throughout the Championship season so far, and look on course to be in serious contention for an automatic promotion spot come the end of the campaign.

Chris Wilder's men were relegated from the Premier League last term, courtesy of a bottom-place finish in the top-flight, and were later subject to a two-point deduction ahead of the current campaign.

However, neither of those two testing events seemed to have knocked the Blades' confidence too much, and they have earned some notable victories in the second tier so far, such as a win last month over Steel City Derby rivals Sheffield Wednesday, while they also triumphed over fellow promotion candidates Sunderland later in November.

Wilder and co will be largely delighted with how their Championship season has gone thus far, but if they want to further boost their chances of clinching the title, they will need to enjoy a successful transfer window next month.

With this in mind, Football League World takes a look at two deals which would mark a dream start to the January transfer window for the Blades:

In: Matt Grimes

The Blades boast an impressive crop of midfielders, including playmaker Callum O'Hare, and former Everton man Tom Davies, while their strength in depth in the middle of the park is so impressive that star man Gus Hamer usually operates out of position, on the wing.

However, Wilder's men took a serious blow when club captain and central midfielder, Ollie Arblaster, ruptured his ACL during November's aforementioned victory over bitter rivals Wednesday.

Fellow 20-year-old Sydie Peck came on to replace Arblaster at half-time on derby day, and performed admirably well after his skipper was subbed off.

Since then, Peck has seen himself become a regular pick at Bramall Lane, and has been a real asset for his side as they continue their automatic promotion challenge.

But as we approach the business end of the Championship campaign, the Blades are set to face even more high pressure encounters, during which the three points will be more consequential than previously in the season.

As a result of this, the South Yorkshire outfit should look to add yet more experience and quality to their midfield ranks, so Swansea City's Matt Grimes could be the perfect answer.

The Swans are perhaps unlikely to seriously challenge for the play-off places themselves, meaning that Grimes could be keen on a move to a side who boast genuine title credentials.

Furthermore, his presence would clearly bolster Wilder's side, as he notched four goals and five assists in the second tier last campaign, which is a tally he could surely better if he moved on to a more successful side.

The Englishman is a metronome in the Swans midfield, who maintained an incredible pass accuracy of 88.6% in the Championship last term, as per FotMob.

This shows that he has the ability to dictate the tempo of games, so he would be an ideal acquisition for the Blades, amid Arblaster's long-term absence.

Out: Louie Marsh

During their current promotion bid, it is still vital that the Blades keep one eye on the future, and in order to do just that, Wilder and co should look to deploy Louie Marsh out on loan.

The Blades academy graduate showed what he is capable of when he scored during a 4-2 home win over Wrexham in the first round of the EFL Cup.

He subsequently played the full 90 minutes as the Bramall Lane side lost 1-0 to South Yorkshire neighbours Barnsley in the second round, but he has struggled for game time in the Championship, and has often been an unused substitute in the second tier, a role he fulfilled during his side's important win over Sunderland last month.

Amid competition from fellow attacking midfielder O'Hare, Marsh seems unlikely to nail down regular playing time for Wilder's side just yet, so a loan move could be perfect at this stage of his development. Him moving on might also increase the need for a new attacking option to come into the squad, pushing the board to arm Wilder with the tools to get the job done. Another dream scenario.