United have once again smashed the club's transfer record to secure the services of a highly-rated Norwegian international midfielder on a long-term contract.

Sander Berge, who, at the age of 21 already has 20 international caps to his name, has penned a four-and-a-half-year deal at Bramall Lane, with the Blades fighting off a number of other Premier League clubs to secure his signature. An undisclosed fee has been agreed with Belgian side Genk.

Prince Abdullah has taken a personal interest in the signing of Berge and was instrumental in the negotiations to ensure the Blades landed the top target. The board have supported Chris Wilder's vision for the team and since returning to the Premier League have broken the transfer record on five occasions. The long-term view for the club is to ensure sporting success with financial sustainability, and the recruitment of Berge is a vital part of the plan.

The manager told www.sufc.co.uk: "The board have really backed us in this window to bring in players of the quality of Sander. He fits the bill in so many ways. He's a Norwegian international who has played 20 times for his country, he's also played Champions League football and we're delighted he has decided to come to Bramall Lane.

"Sander is someone we have known about for quite a while now. We have tracked him over a sustained period of time, he was a player we highlighted as someone who could come in and really improve us and we are thrilled he's agreed to come here.

"When we sat down with Sander it was clear that he was really excited about coming here and that was great to see. I think this signing just shows how far we have come in a short space of time, that we are now attracting the likes of Sander to the football club. It's a brilliant signing for us."

Having started his career playing youth football in Norway's third tier, Berge joined top-flight outfit Valerenga ahead of the 2015 campaign.

The midfielder quickly established himself as a key player having made his debut against Sandefjord and impressing on his first start against Rosenborg. In total, Berge made 36 appearances before joining Genk on a four-year contract in January 2017.

Over in Belgium, Berge has clocked up 98 appearances for Genk, scoring six goals. He also boasts Champions League experience and has featured regularly for club and country this season.

Internationally, Berge has been capped at every youth level, prior to making his senior debut as a 19-year-old against Northern Ireland in March 2017. He has now amassed 20 caps for his country, scoring one goal, against Malta in September 2019.